Stephen O’Hearn

Personal Bio

Born and raised in the suburbs of Boston with a passion for music and the Arts he began creative endeavors playing music with drum corps cutting his teeth on the performative arts and wanted to play the big stages. 

After graduating high school, he became an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) in order to pay for college, graduating in 1992 from Northeastern University with a BA in Business Management and Administration he soon left the comfort of his home and moved to New York City taking his talents to pursue a career in music.  He soon became a staple in the music scene playing with many top tier musicians playing iconic locations such as The Bitter End, Red Lion, Birdland and many others.  In 1996 he was afforded the opportunity to play with a Boston based group and tour as an opening support act for the band LIVE finally getting his chance to play venues such as Madison SQ Garden, Jones Beach, Hartford Civic Center and a plethora of other larger venues on the east coast.  

Coming back to NYC and needing a day job he began working for Wall Street Computer Consulting firm, putting his business mind to work while keeping his music dreams alive. Quickly finding success his corporate career began to take flight.  working with such Fortune 50 companies helping to recruit, hire, develop contracts negotiations and manage projects for software development, hardware implementations, network operations and overall Project Management.  He managed and maintained projects from $1mil to 15Mil with teams ranging from 5- 50 contractors both off-site and on-site locations. Ensuring that the budget and time specifications were met on time.  After his success of helping companies such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Bankers Trust, Bank of New York with the Y2k bug fix, he was offered an opportunity in late 1999 to move back to the Boston area to become the Recruiting Manager opening a new office location.  

During his successful year in Boston, he met and married Darlene, a Elementary School Teacher and had his first child, a son (Sean). In August 2001, his company asked him to come back to New York and take a promotion to work in the new corporate headquarters in tower 1 of the World Trade Center. 

However, while negotiating the new contract and the logistics of moving now a small family, the tragedy of 9/11 happened; he lost the opportunity and many friends when the Twin Towers came down.  A devastating blow. 

The world changed for him, life was on hold and now with no job, no music happening and the country reeling from the loss, although with a degree, he decided to enlist in the US Army and became a Medic. 

After attending basic training and Medic training he found his family in Colorado serving with 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Squadron with a newly pregnant wife and young toddler in tow.  Over the next year orders were made and he was going to deploy on his first combat tour to Iraq, 2003-2004.  Just 6 days before leaving his daughter, Megan was born.  During his time in Iraq, he has put boots on the ground in Fallujah, Habanijah, Ramadi, Hit and Al Asad.  He has lived through dozens of kinetic fire fight battles and survived 4 IED attacks.  Causing his deafness to his right ear.  Also, during this time, his son, Sean, was diagnosed with Autism.  Subsequently returning in 2004 back to Colorado and earned multiple awards to include the Presidential Unit Citation, multiple Army Achievement Awards and the prestigious Combat Medic Badge with a save rate of 98% and serving over 2500 soldiers for medical and combat related injuries. 

Over the next year, and new orders, the unit again was deployed for the second time to Iraq , this time as part of the Forward Aid Station Team, to Tal Afar serving under then Colonial McMasters as part of the operation “Clear, Hold and Build.” (2005-2006) In preparing for the deployment, he became the training team lead for the squadron, (Approx 2500 soldiers) to ensure that all staff and soldiers were Combat Lifesaver trained and certified with a 99% pass rate earning him Achievement awards and new rank as a E-5 Sergeant and being fast tracked. During this time, he developed a new Tactic and procedures that assured the processing, treatment and triaging more effectively on the battlefield.  He became part of the Forward Aid team acting as a local liaison for humanitarian medical missions in Tal Afar as lead coordinator in efforts to support the local Iraqi populace affected by combat operations. Because of his new development he earned 1 of only 5 Command Sergeants Major of the Army – Achievement Coin given throughout the operation. 

Returning back to Colorado in 2006, post deployment, he was selected to attend the Practical Nursing Course and quickly turned around to leave his family, again for the next year to Ft Sam Houston then off to Ft Gordon in Georgia, 2006-2007 obtaining is licenses for 3 states and graduating in the top 3 in class. Darlene had become pregnant and delivered his third child, his son Ryan was born while at training.  Returning soon thereafter to Colorado Springs, Ft Carson Evans Community hospital, he became the Sr. Enlisted Wardmaster (now E-6-Staff Sergeant) for the I.C.U. (Intensive Care Unit) managing the unit scheduling and maintaining over $1mil in equipment and overseeing 10 personnel.  His secondary position was the lead Training NCOIC (Non-Commissioned Officer In-Charge) for all Training for the unit’s soldiers and maintaining CPR/CEU Medical training and coordination for over 200 soldiers with a 98% pass rate, which had never been achieved in the unit’s history. 

It was at this time he was approached by AMEDD to helped pen the new Combat Medical Handbook for Urban Warfare along with a small team of other selected medics, Special Forces and Rangers.  In 2008 the handbook was adopted by the US Army and Air Force as part of the core curriculum taught to every Combat Medical personnel.  Essentially affecting all soldiers in the field of battle for the triage, treatment, and transport.  In late 2008 he was given a direct commission offer from US AMEDD Command becoming 2nd LT. 

Sent off to training and finalizing his commission in 2009 he was sent to Ft Huachuca, AZ for Military Intelligence Training and deployed once again to Afghanistan in 2009-2010 leaving his family again for another combat tour. 

Serving in Afghanistan for Central Command as the OIC (Officer in-Charge) for Foreign Disclosure and Collections Operations Planner he worked to coordinate and disseminate releasable information to NATO allies. While in Kandahar, AFG Darlene was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer and his son, Sean was struggling with his Autism becoming more aggressive, and himself suffering from PTSD concerns, and other stressors he found a creative way to help himself get through.  He had the opportunity to play music in AFG!  The gospel choir was in need of a drummer, and he began sitting in with the band.  This is also where the writing journey began. 

Suffering from stress, and being an individual augmentee, using journaling and personalizing his journey thus far was a cathartic outlet filling over 4 notebooks!  After a happy accident of leaving one of his journals on his desk, a co-worker read it asking if this was a book he was writing and encouraged me to continue.  As more of an introvert with my feelings, Darlene asked to read some of it and he was able to send an emailed copy to her.  It was she who encouraged Stephen to “Do something creative” with it to keep his mind occupied.  Not wanting to write a book, he decided to research how to write a movie screenplay and began to loosely format the original version of “Over the Berm.” 

“Over the Berm” became his real first endeavor into the film industry.  After a few months of finding time to write while in Afghanistan, he found contact information for the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs- US Army- LA Branch and submitted a copy for review.  He quickly received a response from the OIC – LTC Greg Bishop.  With his continued encouragement, advisement he was able to get a good working copy before he returned home, after 2 years away, to Colorado and his family in late 2010. 

Back on Fort Carson and part of 4th Infantry Division, becoming the 2nd Battalion -Staff Officer S2-OIC Intelligence Officer/Brigade Collections Manager in preparation for a 4th deployment.  Managing a small team of 10 and responsible for operational intelligence collections planning in preparation. He was also integral for instituting Company level Intelligence Collections team and responsible for training small teams of minimum of 4 to a total of 5 teams having oversight of 20+ personnel.

Due to an injury sustained in Afghanistan, he required total reconstruction of his right knee.  After surgery in 2011 he began to get out locally and play music once again.  Had the opportunity to record on Tommy Gunn’s (Billy Squire-Guitarist) March Heir album and even local touring with Terry Spann’s Aleister Wild.  Aleister Wild was awarded an Armed Forces Entertainment Contract to tour the Pacific Rim and to become the opening act for the band Stryper.  He was given special permission from the command as part of a positive troop support media endeavor.  However, this was cut short when Terry Span was killed in front of Stephen, outside a Colorado venue after a show. 

Soon after he was move up to another brigade at 4^th ID serving as the Brigade Security Manager and Intelligence Collections Planner.  Until in 2012 his spine gave out causing damage needing urgent surgery to repair damage connected to long time abuse from combat operations. He was able to convalesce for the next 6 months and came down on orders to South Korea. 

Prior to his departure to Korea, he worked with a professional screenwriter to continue to refine the Over the Berm screenplay and attended the American Film Market for the first time. It was at this time Over the Berm was awarded the Letter of Intent to Support for Production from the OCPA-LA. 

While in Korea he served as the battalion level S4- Logistic OIC, Captain, and budget manager responsible for an annual budget of $10mil and a property book of $160 million in assets managing a small team of 8 soldiers.  He continued to develop Over the Berm but became very interested in writing more and obsessively writing his new concept “Locked In.”  Thru his relationship with LTC Bishop, he was asked to collaborate on another project with Gordon Waddel of November Media in Sydney, Australia, a new TV high action concept loosely based on the A-Team.  He wrote and assisted in producing the Trailer and wrote the first 12 episode outlines for the series. Locked In, soon after became offered for production thru November Media, AU however lost its funding due to unexpected international legal issues. 

Due to long standing concerns with his physical health the Army had decided that he could no longer serve effectively as a soldier and started the processing for a medical retirement and departed South Korea returning to his family in Colorado, 2014, for evaluations and out-processing.  Throughout this last year in service until April 2015 which he officially was medically retired as a Captain (P).

He found work back in New York as an Area Manager for Consolidated Edison – Overhead Electric and Emergency Service in Westchester County between 2016-2019 managing over 30 personnel on multiple projects of different budgets.  High points- Being selected as part of the reconstruction leadership team to help with the reconstitution of the power grid in Puerto Rico after 2018 Hurricane Maria left the island devastated.  Only to return to 2 nor’easter type weather events leaving over 3mil customers without power.  He was integral in reestablishing emergency services and power while acting as liaison between Con Ed and the local cities governments.  During this last absence and the catalyst for coming home was his daughter’s bi-polar diagnosis and treatment and his wife’s accident leaving her with 30% loss of sight in her left eye. 

Finally returning home, he began to continue to write and play and search out opportunities for the screenplays and playing with local bands and artists in and around Colorado, Texas, Nashville and Arizona.  His ability to walk in and play with up and comers were noticed when he was asked to do a short local tour (Colorado/Texas/Wyoming) for Shawn Lee Stamps, #50 of the Nashville Top 100.  He also became a member with Mosquito Pass an award-winning local country music band.  He also became part of a project supporting a Hells Angels tribute with Ralph Patlan (Megadeath-Bassist-Producer).  As a musician he was part of the 2022 Don Nash Christmas Special seen in over 65K homes and hotels for DirecTV and a small part in the Hallmark film “Happy Camper.”

Today, he currently continues to play and work in Colorado.  He now works as a Mission Analyst for United States Space Command for the Joint Staff and continues to write new concepts and ideas for film.  He has earned his PMP (Project Management Certification).

Why is he hitting this now?  Earlier in 2023 his wife became ill and was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, she has had a double mastectomy and now scheduled for her reconstructive surgery before Christmas break.  His oldest son, Sean, has graduated high school and attends a day program for adults and is doing great.  His daughter has gotten proper, and working treatment to stabilize her bi-polar, graduated 4^th in her high school and now attends a local college with a passion for cosplay and voice acting.  His youngest is a junior in high school and had been playing varsity baseball since his freshman year and intends on making a career in baseball.  We have sustained 10s of thousands of dollars in home damage due to sever 100-year storm flooding event and a vehicle accident. 

The O’Hearn family motto has become very appropriate especially looking at recent events-

Gaelic- Per Ardua Surgo – “I Rise through Difficulties”

I believe in finding the right people to build a team of like minds to accomplish something great.