34 year old, from Iowa City, Iowa Dave Spangler has been there and done that. Dave has served in three branches of the US military. He served in the USMC with a Navy nuclear submarine security force, and as an infantryman around the globe. He then served in the Army ROTC while he wrestled for the University of Iowa, and lettered for three years of 1998-2001. It was during the 1st year of legendary Coach Dan Gable's retirement. Yet, Gable was still heavily involved with the program, as the Halkeye club coach and influenced Dave. After graduating from the University of Iowa he was commissioned in the US Air Force. Dave wrestled Greco-Roman on the All Air Force wrestling team. However, he was one of the few athletes who was not released to train full time, due to the importance of his job. He has top secret clearance and worked in the NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) at Cheyenne Mountain Air Station. He worked in the Space Control Center as an Orbital Analyst tracking foreign spy satellites. Dave is now in the reserves, and he gets activated back to active duty every spring for a few months a year, to go back to Colorado as the assistant US Airforce Coach. Last year they pulled him out of retirement to compete because the team needed him at Armed Forces and the National Championships. Now that Dave is primarily in civilian life, he works as a personal trainer at LA Fitness in Scottsdale. Dave is a huge asset to the program. He is what we call a “Specialist Instructor.” As well as keeping up with his own training, Dave's role is to help make our athletes become more proficient, and solid pummelers. This is an essential tool in the MMA world, and the guys are glad to have him around.