Don Gillette was born and raised on the Atlantic Coast. He spent twenty-four years working for the Department of Defense, twenty-six years in the Tennessee Army National Guard, served on Active Duty during Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield, and retired in 1996 as a Chief Warrant Officer Four. After leaving government service, he spent twenty years as the Vice President of Military Operations for Reese Group, Inc. He and his wife, Sim Yoon, currently live in Nashville, Tennessee.