Lt. Col. Stuart “Stu” Scheller is a dedicated advocate for developing strong leaders and showcasing veterans as examples of resilience and service-driven leadership. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in military science from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Scheller has spent his career demonstrating leadership in both operational and training environments.
Since beginning his career in the Marine Corps in 2005, Scheller has held numerous leadership roles at the platoon, company and battalion levels. Early on, he was part of the evacuation of American citizens from Beirut during the 2006 Israeli-Lebanese conflict, served as a company executive officer and fire support team leader in Ramadi, Iraq, and contributed to counter-IED efforts in Afghanistan’s Paktika and Ghazni provinces. His extensive experience also includes leading training commands, such as serving as the Advanced Infantry Training Battalion commander at the School of Infantry East, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Supporting 13Lives.org COURTESY OF STU SCHELLER
Scheller’s commitment to leadership extends beyond his military career. Today, he heads Authentic Americans, an organization focused on inspiring individuals to embrace courage and responsibility in all aspects of their lives. By traveling across the country and sharing his story, Scheller emphasizes the importance of leadership, resilience and accountability—qualities that veterans exemplify in every sphere of life.
What guidance can you offer veterans accustomed to the mission-driven, structured lifestyle of the military to help them thrive and succeed in today’s civilian culture?
I believe self-discipline is the most important attribute that transitioning veterans should take with them into the business world. Self-discipline, just like a muscle, gets stronger or weaker based on repetition. Comfort might be the worst addiction. But often, the word “discipline” is misunderstood. “Instant obedience to orders” isn’t discipline. My dogs are capable of instant obedience to orders. Any organization that fosters “instant obedience to orders” as the bedrock will inevitably fail. An organization that builds a culture [that] influences individuals to hold themselves accountable while developing good habits while moving towards a goal will succeed.
In all your speaking engagements, what are some of the most common questions you’re hearing from audiences today?
During all my speaking engagements, I’ve realized how concerned the American people are with the direction of the country and military. But it seems to me that most people are quick to identify the problems, but very few understand the root causes. I believe both systems suffer from a series of misguided incentives producing weak leadership. Take the military, for example. The highest incentive for an officer is continued advancement through promotion. This is accomplished through a subjective evaluation from a superior. Yet, being the best performer in a trade amongst competing peers is not always the same as [being] “most liked” by the superior during evaluation periods.
It is rare for individuals with dissenting opinions, despite their ability to be a top performer, to be “most liked” by a superior. Thus, over a long enough timeline, like 40 years, or the amount of time it takes to create a four-star general, the system inevitably creates individuals seeking affirmation from superiors devoid of any real ability to push back on bad ideas.
Your February 2023 United States Voluntary Military Imploding op-ed was incredibly insightful. Do you foresee the draft being reinstated in the near future?
I don’t see the United States ever going back to the draft, but I do believe the current recruiting failures will continue. Who wants to join an organization with a 60-year losing record that isn’t holding itself accountable or attempting fundamental reform? I believe the United States has only two options for the military going forward: It must have major reform on how leaders are created, or it must start outsourcing military power to the private sector. But the United States cannot financially, spiritually or mentally afford the military’s status quo.
As we both know, veteran and military suicide has reached epidemic levels in the U.S. Do you have any insights on why this is happening and how veterans or active-duty leaders can make a greater impact in the fight to save the warrior class?
Veteran suicide is a complicated problem that will never have an easy solution. I have been to more funerals and wakes for veteran suicide than I have fingers. Ultimately, I believe humans need two ingredients for life: purpose and social connections. When you understand this, you begin to understand why veteran suicide is higher than the national average. There may not be a better example of a young individual losing all their social connections and purpose than their exit from the military. Add combat stress, dangerous prescription medications and returning to a bad home situation, and the picture becomes clearer. And unfortunately, it is very difficult to give a human during their transition from military to civilian a purpose in life. That is something that each human must figure out. It’s part of this experience we call life. But it is easy to maintain those social connections by reaching out to your friends as they transition. Just give them a call or text. They will appreciate it.
It has been an honor to highlight Scheller in this American Heroes. Our nation faces significant challenges, and in times like these, courage and leadership are essential. Veterans like Scheller embody these qualities through their service and sacrifice. Their experiences in combat, decision-making under pressure and commitment to accountability make them invaluable assets in leadership roles across various industries—true leadership in action. To stay connected with Scheller and his ongoing efforts, visit him on social media or at authenticamericans.com.
Annie Nelson’s journey is an incredible testament to resilience and the power of the human spirit, from her early beginnings in Minnesota to her current role as the Founder and President of the American Soldier Network (ASN), americansoldiernetwork.org. Nelson has dedicated her life to serving others, particularly veterans and their families. Her trajectory from studying Theatre Arts on a scholarship at CSULB to her work in sports broadcasting and special events showcases her versatility and passion for storytelling. It’s fascinating how a chance pen pal friendship with a wounded Marine in 2004 led to a profound epiphany that changed the course of her life.
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