A "squared away" guy, according to his colonel, Capt. Scott McCollum has been advancing up the ranks of the Missouri National Guard since his senior year at Keytesville High School.
Today, he is in charge of all officer-related programs through the Recruiting and Retention Battalion, based at the Blue Armory. And he is the commander of the 1137th Military Police Company in Kennett.
Thirteen years ago, the son of a non-commissioned officer wanted to see the world and saw enlistment as his opportunity. At his first drill after completing his basic and advanced individual training as a military policeman in March 2003, he learned his new unit, the 2175th Military Police based in Hannibal, was deploying to Iraq.
His unit returned in July 2004, and he began classes at the University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, in August. Thanks to the transfer of military credits, he completed in seven semesters - just in time to deploy a second time.
In 2008, McCollum was part of the KFOR-10 tour to Kosovo. This time he was a squad leader with the 3175th Military Police out of Warrenton. During this time, McCollum's mentor, Shane Spellman, was his platoon leader and saw leadership ability in him.
So, instead of serving in Kosovo the last two months of his deployment, McCollum spent it at officer training.
"After he pointed it out, I looked and thought maybe I can do more," he said.
As an officer in 2009, his first appointment was to the 1140th Military Police Company based in Fulton, which later moved to Mexico.
He deployed a third time in 2011, this time to Qatar with the 1137th, with whom he is now commander. As a first lieutenant, McCollum said he was in a unique position, having already deployed as an enlisted soldier.
"I think it made me more well-rounded and able to make decisions," McCollum said. "I gained a lot of credibility with my soldiers; they knew I was not asking them to do something I hadn't already done."
During that deployment, McCollum followed his own mentor's advice by identifying a younger soldier to encourage. Now, Ryan Barker is a second lieutenant and McCollum supports and encourages him, just as Spellman does for him.
That personability and positive outlook also has benefited McCollum as he works full time for the Guard, too. He began in 2012 as a recruiter.
"I have a breadth of experience to draw from," he said.
The following year, he became an assistant professor of military science at Southeast Missouri State University, where the Guard had introduced its new ROTC-like program for potential officer candidates.
Since July, he has been in the recruiting and retention battalion's headquarters, overseeing the training and transfers of officers.
The benefits are phenomenal, even helping him earn a master's degree, but that's not why he joined, he said. What was a job and a way to see the world beyond his small hometown became a passion for him after his first deployment, McCollum said.
That enthusiasm is what he shares with his program leaders to promote success.
He married his wife, Logan, after his Kosovo deployment in 2009. They have two children, Rylie and Oden.
"I could not be where I am without my family," McCollum said. "It goes back to my parents - they had a 19-year-old who deployed to Iraq - and now my immediate family."