Operating under a pseudonym fits the ethos—sovereignty starts with controlling your identity. Average Gary brought the “thinking shooter” principle from Naval Special Warfare into Bitcoin: you don't need to know every answer, but you need to know where to find it. His path from military intelligence through Microsoft to large-scale Bitcoin mining reveals how decentralized systems reward proof of work over credentials and why open source tears down the walls between citizens and the institutions meant to serve them.
Episode Summary
Average Gary spent 11 years in Navy intelligence as a Chinese linguist and Naval Special Warfare tech operator, learning discipline, cross-functional thinking, and how to act decisively in dynamic environments. He transitioned to Microsoft as a software engineer, where mentors guided him into Rust programming, then moved into FinTech before landing at a large-scale Bitcoin miner. His journey reveals how military training in networked analysis and independent action translates directly to decentralized technology work—where reputation systems replace bureaucratic credentials and proof of work matters more than permission.
The conversation explores how open source development creates pathways from government service into sovereignty-focused tech, why Bitcoin aligns with veteran values of independence and service, and how showing up consistently in local communities builds resilience against centralized system failures. Average Gary's work with Bitcoin Veterans and the Shenandoah Bitcoin Club demonstrates that the transition from centralized institutions to freedom tech isn't about abandoning service—it's about finding better tools to serve with.
About the Guest
Average Gary is a software engineer at a large-scale Bitcoin miner and founder of the Shenandoah Bitcoin Club in Northern Virginia. He served 11 years in Navy intelligence, including roles as a Chinese linguist at the Defense Language Institute and tactical intelligence specialist with Naval Special Warfare. After his military service, he worked as a software engineer at Microsoft and in FinTech before moving into Bitcoin. He's active in Bitcoin Veterans, an organization helping military veterans understand and adopt Bitcoin, and regularly contributes to open source projects focused on sovereignty and decentralization.
Connect with Average Gary:
- Nostr: https://primal.net/gary
- GitHub: https://github.com/average-gary
Key Quotes
- “You can just do things, but when you do it, you better have an answer as to why you did it.” – Average Gary
- “If you show up and you're a good human being, if you put this excess time and energy that you've unlocked by saving in Bitcoin to good use in your direct immediate area, I think you're going to be rewarded.” – Average Gary
- “The best centralized system is when you control it, and I think anybody has the opportunity to do that in their local area.” – Average Gary
Key Takeaways
- Open source creates sovereign career paths: Contributing to open source projects builds a public proof of work resume that matters more in Bitcoin than corporate credentials—Average Gary emphasizes finding projects that improve government transparency or serve your community, then building your reputation through visible contributions.
- Military discipline translates to decentralized work: The Navy's “thinking shooter” concept—knowing enough to act independently while understanding where to find answers—applies directly to Bitcoin development, where you need cross-functional awareness but don't need permission to contribute if you can justify your work.
- Reputation systems replace bureaucracy: In Bitcoin's reputation-based industry, your GitHub contributions and project work speak louder than degrees or corporate experience—this levels the playing field for anyone willing to put in visible, verifiable work regardless of their background.
- Local action builds systemic resilience: As centralized systems fail and Bitcoin creates new wealth, showing up consistently in local communities—coaching teams, joining churches, attending council meetings, or running ham radio clubs—creates the social capital and infrastructure needed when grid-dependent systems break down.
Timestamps
[00:00] Career arc from Naval intelligence to Bitcoin mining
[05:30] Transitioning from military to Microsoft, learning Rust
[09:45] Why family and bureaucracy drove the shift from Navy to tech
[15:20] FinTech experience and recognizing surveillance in financial systems
[22:10] How Naval Special Warfare training shapes decentralized thinking
[28:35] Defense Language Institute, Chinese linguistics, and data analysis
[33:50] The “thinking shooter” concept and cross-functional awareness
[38:15] Moving to a large-scale Bitcoin miner as a software engineer
[42:40] Bitcoin Veterans: helping military community understand Bitcoin
[47:25] Why open source matters for government transparency
[52:30] Building proof of work resumes through GitHub contributions
[56:07] Local community action as centralized systems fail
[59:10] Closing thoughts on consistency and showing up
Resources & Links
Mentioned in Episode:
- Defense Language Institute (Chinese linguist training)
- Naval Special Warfare (tactical intelligence operations)
- Rust programming language
- Kali Linux (penetration testing distribution)
- Bitcoin Veterans: https://bitcoinveterans.org
- Shenandoah Bitcoin Club: https://shenandoahbitcoin.club
Podcast:
- Subscribe: https://podcast.trustrevolution.co
- Music: More Ghost Than Man