MADISON – Eugene Puff entered the U.S. Army in August 1994.

“I was an E-4 / Specialist when I originally ‘ETS’ed’ on Aug. 23, 1997. I went into the Reserves four years later and spent a year there,” he said.

At Fort Jackson, S.C., he completed both Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training or AIT. He then was stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky. and completed Air Assault School. “I served there for 2.5 years with the HQ / Alpha Co. 801st Main Support Battalion,” Puff said.

“I spent my Reserve time at Redstone Arsenal. I was attached to a Training Unit,” he said. “I finished my military service there as an E-4 Specialist. I was never deployed anywhere during that time.”

Puff was born at Fort Sam Houston, Texas in 1975. “My father was transferred to Redstone Arsenal in 1976. I grew up here in the Huntsville area. I’ve lived in the Madison County area, off and on, since then. I currently live in Meridianville,” he said.

He attended Faulkner University in Huntsville and Montgomery and received a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2007. He is Operations Manager for United Rentals Inc. in Huntsville. “I’ve been (with the company) for almost 16 years, having worked my way up the ladder,” Puff said.

His wife Christie Puff works as a nurse for a doctor’s office in Madison. “We’re a blended family with two daughters. One daughter is still in high school, and the other just finished at Paul Mitchell – The School Huntsville. Both of them are still in Madison County,” he said.

Eugene and Christie enjoy running in Tough Mudder events across the country. An event “is typically 10 to 12 miles long and offers military-style obstacles through all types of terrain, especially mud,” he said.

“To-date, I have completed 19 Tough Mudders, including World’s Toughest Mudder in November,” Eugene said. “My wife Christie has 12 Tough Mudders under her belt. We are looking into another nine events next year, including World’s Toughest Mudder for both of us.”

“We both love to get out and ride our motorcycle and have participated in benefit rides all over Alabama and Tennessee,” Eugene said.