A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Marshall “Vito” Ecklund is a highly respected and experienced Special Operator who has dedicated his entire adult life to serving our Nation. After commissioning and spending five years as an Infantry officer, he was selected for and completed training to become a Special Forces Officer with a regional alignment to Latin America. Over the next twenty years, Vito served in the 7th and 5th Special Forces Groups, U.S. Special Operations Command, the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, and Special Operations Command South. His service overseas took him to more than 30 countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Israel, and almost every country in Central and South America. Recently retired after more than 30 years in uniform, he currently resides in the Miami area where he and his family have lived since 2015. Driven to serve and protect others, Vito develops unconventional solutions so others can seize opportunities to win – which is why he is dedicated to helping support the Special Operators and their families who would benefit the greatest from the unique Host A Hero program.