November 1st, 2025 - Sam Smith

Sam writes:  I was born and raised in Bagley, MN. I attended Bagley High School and graduated in 1997. When I was a junior in high school I joined the U.S. Navy. After graduation I was shipped out to boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois. After completing boot camp I was sent to Basic Enlisted Submarine School in Groton, CT. After spending a year in Training on the East Coast I was stationed aboard the USS Louisville SSN-724 in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in 1998. I quickly became one of the crew and these men became like brothers.  

The Louisville was a Fast Attack Nuclear Submarine that was tasked with hunting and killing other submarines and surface ships. The Louisville was also Vertical Launch equipped to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles at land targets, In fact the Louisville was the 1st Submarine to launch missiles in a time of war in 1991. The area we operated was the Ring of Fire region which included Japan, Korea, Australia, Singapore, China, Guam, & Okinawa.

While I was in the Service I met my wife Caren, who was also in the Navy as a Fleet Marine Force Dental Tech. Liert the Navy in 2001 as an MM2 (SS) Machinist Mate, stayed in Hawaii, and attended the University of Hawaii. After Graduating from UH, we moved to Albuquerque, NM and worked and lived there for 1 1/2 years. When we had the opportunity to purchase the family business, Itasca Sports, we moved back to Minnesota. In 2004 we moved back, grew our family and built a home.

After being married for 7 years we had a RADICAL encounter with Jesus Christ, and gave our lives to him.  Currently Caren and I have 7 AMAZING children. After owning & operating Itasca Sports for 21 years, we sold it to dear friends, where it is still in operation today. We began Off Grid Armory in 2015, when a passion turned into a business. Off Grid Suppressors was created in 2024, when an Invention turned into a futuristic & cutting edge product. Both of these businesses are an absolute thrill to be involved in. For the Rest of the Story including how Christ RADICALLY changed us. Come to the meeting! I can't wait to share what God has done in our lives!