Stephen Cochran is a bona fide American hero. In 2001, Cochran was a college student at Western Kentucky University and had been recently named captain of WKU’s Lacrosse team. On September 11, the college junior was transfixed, along with the rest of the country, when he learned of the terrorist attacks on New York City and the Pentagon.
Later that night, Cochran and his fraternity buddies were drinking and whipping themselves into frenzy about how they were all going to enlist in the military to defend our nation. Well, none of his fraternity brothers followed through on their idle threats, except for Cochran. He really meant it.
“It wasn’t even a decision, it was just ‘gotta do it,’” Cochran said. “A country like ours that allows us to live our dreams as a job, any time that they need you to stand up and protect it was just driven into me. Patriotism is just in my family.”
The next day, Cochran went and visited a Marine Corps recruiter and enlisted.
“I didn’t tell my parents or my fiancé at the time,” Cochran said. “I just did it.”
Cochran volunteered to serve in the elite Marine Light Armored Reconnaissance division and headed straight to Iraq. Immediately following his tour in Iraq, Cochran and his unit deployed to Afghanistan where he was severely wounded, suffering a broken back. Even though he was paralyzed from the waist down for nine months and was told he may never walk again, Cochran’s determination coupled with successful medical treatment, led to his miraculous recovery and ignited his passion for writing his music.
A Rising Star
It’s often said that great country music is built on a foundation of real-life stories and soul-deep family tradition. Cochran’s father was a country music singer and songwriter and shared his talent and passion for music with his son. Cochran’s pedigree and lifetime's worth of experience earned serving in two wars as a Marine and overcoming adversity gave the singer/songwriter the drive to pursue his passion. Cochran exploded onto the country music scene in 2007 with a critically acclaimed, self-titled debut album that captured the hearts of fans, critics and a lot of everyday heroes.
The debut album captured critical raves and earned three stars in Country Weekly. The first album also had three songs that made the Billboard Top 40 including his biggest hit, the infectious summertime chorus and making-the-best-of-the-bad-times message in the single "Wal-Mart Flowers." He also enjoyed a Top 20 video on Great American Country.
“The only other artist that beat me in Country Weekly was George Strait, so I’ll take that,” Cochran said.
As the voice of the Buy Veteran campaign, Cochran lends his talents and star power to promote the advantageous impacts of Americans purchasing products and services from veteran-owned businesses. Cochran’s inspirational and triumphant story of bravery conquering adversity echoes the bold entrepreneurial spirit shared by all of America’s 3 million veteran-owned businesses. His love of country and passionate support of the courageous men and women who serve in America’s military, coupled with his ever-increasing popularity as a performing artist amplify the National Veteran-Owned Business Association’s (NaVOBA) efforts to reach all Americans and encourage them to Buy Veteran. We caught up with Cochran and talked with him about country music, overcoming paralysis and why Buy Veteran is good for America.
Vetrepreneur: You’re an up-and coming country music star. Tell me about your father’s influence on your musical career?
Cochran:It wasn’t even my just my music career. My dad, pretty much, had an impact on my military career. My grandpa was 26 years Air Force, my other grandpa retired from the Army. You know, when you’re a songwriter or a singer, or an artist in country music, you realize that this is the only country where you can take a dream and make it a business and turn it into a reality. And I took a dream that my father had and turned it into a family business. When you start off in country music, you don’t know what to expect. Everyday it changes. This business is a living breathing thing and so the fear of the unknown is what sends a lot of people home. That was one thing we got to know real well in Iraq and Afghanistan, the fear of the unknown. But I did get to peek into the country music world from my dad’s career and I got to see what to do and definitely what not to do.
Vetrepreneur: Why do you love being a recording artist?
Cochran: Definitely getting on stage. When we’re on stage, that’s when we get to feel what we do this for. You know, it’s all the other bull that goes around is why you get paid to do it. So, I try to stay out of the business as much as possible and let our people in that area handle the business. You know the business end of music will jade you so bad that you don’t even want to write or do anything anymore. I love the live performances and getting to meet the fans. At the end of the day, that’s who we work for. I can record songs all day, but if they’re not buying them, I don’t have a job anymore.
When/Why did you decide to enlist in the Marine Corps?
Cochran: When I was in college at Western Kentucky. I was in my junior year and I had 26 credits left for my bachelor’s degree. I had just learned that for the upcoming Lacrosse season I was to be the captain of the team. I was really proud of that because I’d worked damn hard to earn it. Later I was at a frat house and everybody was watching the towers fall on TV. We were all drinking and crying and shouting “I’m gonna join the military!” Well, I was the only one who sobered up and did it. I didn’t think twice. It was something I had to do. In our country we get to do what we love for a living so we need to be willing to defend it.
Vetrepreneur: What was your military occupational specialty?
Cochran: I went and talked a recruiter and he was showing me all these videos about jobs you could do in the Marine Corps. None of them really seemed right to me until I saw this video of a Marine Recon Scout coming up out of the water with his face painted and I just said “stop, that’s it. I want to do that!” The recruiter said I couldn’t enlist in Recon so I signed up as infantry and went through the necessary training to join the Marine Light Armored Reconnaissance division.
Vetrepreneur: Like many current Marines, you served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. You were wounded in Afghanistan and suffered broken back. Will you share a little about that experience with our readers?
Cochran: I remember throwing a piece of candy to an Afghan boy. They would sometimes throw rocks at us so we would take candy from our MREs and toss it back at them. I remembered tossing a Tootsie Roll and the next thing I knew I woke up in Germany. The LAVs we rode in were too high for the IEDs, so the Taliban dug deep trenches to cripple the vehicles. I was thrown from the vehicle and broke my back in four places.
Vetrepreneur: I’ve heard that you were told you may never walk again. Is that true?
Cochran: Yeah, that’s true. I woke up in a hospital in Germany and they were basically like “what kind of wheelchair do you want?”
Vetrepreneur: How do you explain such a miraculous recovery?
Cochran: There was a nurse there who asked why they don’t do a kyphoplasty since I didn’t have any spinal cord damage. There was no specialist to perform the surgery, so I was sent back to Nashville. It’s ironic how all roads lead back to Nashville for me. They put four pounds of cement in my back and the surgery was successful and I got the first tingling sensations in my legs in nine months. After physical therapy treatments I’ve made a full recovery. That’s one of the reasons why we have such high-energy shows – to let people know that I’m fully-recovered.
Vetrepreneur: One of your songs, “When a Hero Falls,” recounts powerful memories of your fellow Marines. How has your military service impacted your music?
Cochran: It’s had a huge impact. That song is about a man from my team, Sgt Ron Payne. He was the first Marine killed in Afghanistan. We took fire from 26 Taliban fighters and were pinned down. There were so many rounds hitting the ground around us it looked like big raindrops landing in dust. It seemed like if you stuck your hand out you’d pull it back and it’s look like Swiss cheese.
Sgt. Payne ran up the hill right into the enemy fire so we could maneuver. The Corpsman charged right after him because he knew he was going to need him. Sgt. Payne died saving our lives. This song is a tribute to him.
Vetrepreneur: How has your military service affected your life personally?
Cochran: I think the biggest thing the Marine Corps taught me was the drive and determination to see things through even when they get tough. Country music is tough business but it’s not the toughest thing I’ve had to do. The Marine Corps taught me that.
Vetrepreneur: What qualities did you learn as a Marine that makes you a better artist or entrepreneur?
Cochran: I love the Marine Corps. Everything they did for me structured my life and gave me the drive to know that I can do anything I want to do. The way I was raised was to be thankful to this country for being able to do our dream, and my dream is music.
Vetrepreneur: Why do you think Americans should support businesses owned by military veterans?
Why wouldn’t you? Why wouldn’t you want to help your local economy and put that money right back into your community? It’s good for everybody in a whole circle, so I think the more important question is why wouldn’t you?
Vetrepreneur: Why is the Buy Veteran Campaign good for America?
Cochran: It’sa great thing for our country and for all our vets. What’s more American than buying from veterans? I tried for a week to buy American and couldn’t find enough American mad products. Then I tried to at least buy from businesses owned by Americans until I learned about Buy Veteran. Supporting local businesses in your community helps the local economy and provides jobs. Veterans are hard working, loyal and dependable so you’re going to get high-quality products and services. It’s really a win-win for everybody.
Vetrepreneur: What advice do you have for veterans coming home from Afghanistan and Iraq who may be considering starting a small business?
Cochran: I say go for it. It’s hard to find honorable people to work for these days that you can trust. But you know that when you start your own business, you hire your own people, you know that you ’re honorable, so you trust yourself. So you hire people you would do business with on a handshake to work for you. So I say jump in with both feet and don’t give up. Do it like you did in combat. You’re going to have to adapt and overcome a lot along the way, but it’s going to be worth it.
Vetrepreneur: Why should veteran-owned businesses join NaVOBA and promote their military service?
Cochran: Why wouldn’t you want to align yourself with honorable, hard-working quality traits that people associate with vets? There is more quality to saying “I’m a veteran” than just saying “I’m a veteran.” When you say you’re a veteran, you’re putting those quality traits out there that people associate with good business. I think that standing up and saying you’re a veteran and being part of NaVOBA and listing your business in the directory so people can find your business is one of the greatest tools I can think of having. It’s a great thing to be aligned with. You’re aligning yourself with great quality traits. This is a real fraternity of brothers and sisters. I hope to get to meet each and every member of NaVOBA.
Vetrepreneur: What keeps you up at night?
Cochran: Thinking about writing new songs.
Vetrepreneur: What makes you jump out of bed in the morning?
Cochran: Facebook! (laughing).
Vetrepreneur: What makes you nervous?
Cochran. I think your cell phone should have a breathalyzer on it.
Vetrepreneur. Who is your mentor?
Cochran. My father.
Fun Facts
Favorite TV Show:Entourage
Role model Jesus Christ
Dream Job I’m doing it!
Alma Mater Western Kentucky University
Birthday September 17
Number of Kids None that I’m aware of!
Hobbies Riding motorcycles
Favorite Food Pepperoni Pizza Hot Pockets
Favorite Musician Waylon Jennings
Favorite Movie Star Elvis Presley
Favorite Story Carlos Hathcock
Hometown Pikeville, Kentucky
Number of Siblings Two sisters
Number of Pets 1 dog named Semper Fi
Favorite Sports Team The University of Kentucky Wildcats
Favorite Author Larry Wilson
Military Stats U.S. Marine Corps, 2002-2006, Sergeant (E-5)
I think that standing up and saying you’re a veteran and being part of NaVOBA and listing your business in the directory so people can find your business is one of the greatest tools I can think of having.
I woke up in a hospital in Germany and they were basically like “what kind of wheelchair do you want?”
What’s more American than buying from veterans? Veterans are hard working, loyal and dependable so you’re going to get high-quality products and services. It’s really a win-win for everybody.