Thomas Dean Mixon Jr. was raised in Venezuela until his return to the US in 1973. In 1982, he left the University of Texas at Austin to join the US Navy and completed seven years as a US Navy SEAL. Upon honorably exiting the Navy, Mixon completed his BS in kinesiology at UT Austin while working as a degreed and certified personal fitness trainer. His fitness boot camp, the first of its kind in Austin, was featured in the Austin AmericanStatesman in April 1999. He was also featured as one of Austin's fittest trainers in Austin Fit Magazine in 2007. In 2003, Mixon joined the private security arena, working in Iraq, Afghanistan, Gulf of Aden, and other "hot spots" requiring specialized private security. He enjoys spending time with his two sons and has found a passion for writing.