One of the few consistencies among Erik's 49 major adventures listed here is that his first adventure was his toughest adventure. Erik enlisted in the Army during the First Gulf War to serve as an infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division. He completed 25 parachute jumps and a four-month deployment to Central America and attended a handful of courses to learn to fight in the desert, patrol urban terrain, maintain radio communications, drive a hummer, and parachute with a missile system. He earned the expert rifleman badge, U.S. parachutist badge, and Honduran parachutist badge. As a therapist Erik now works with active duty personnel and veterans, helping them navigate military-to-civilian transitions, process trauma, expand support systems, and renew their sense of mission and purpose.

Erik enlisted partly because his grandfather served in World War II. His grandfather enlisted in the Army in 1943 as a field lineman and participated in the D-Day assault of Omaha Beach. He fought throughout Europe for two years and survived the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded the American Defense Service Ribbon, American Campaign Ribbon, Army Good Conduct Ribbon, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon with four campaign stars, and French Croix De Guerre Ribbon with arrowhead device.