Hailing from the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Southwestern Virginia, Josh joined the army after graduating from high school in Suffolk, Virginia. As an infantryman, he completed a combat deployment to Iraq and served as a fire team leader. After returning home, Josh attended Old Dominion University, where he graduated Cum Laude and obtained a bachelor’s degree in international studies and political science. During his high school and undergraduate education, Josh spent time studying in South Korea, Nigeria and Estonia.