12 Seconds Changed Everything

In 2001, during routine shipboard training off Marine Corps Air Station New River, NC, my life changed forever in just 12 seconds. I was the lead pilot of one of two CH-46E helicopters when a critical human error in the second aircraft led to a devastating crash. Three Marines were killed, including my close friend and combat air crewman, Clark Beaty.

That night seared a truth into me that I carry to this day—if lessons from a similar mishap a few years earlier had been shared, that crash might have been prevented. Clark and those Marines should still be here. Their loss is why I have dedicated my life to ensuring that knowledge and experience are not buried with us, but passed forward to protect and empower others.

Why This Community Exists

This is where it all begins. This community is the starting point for something bigger—an environment where hard-won lessons are not hidden, but shared. Here you’ll have the chance to learn directly from me, the creator and founder of Convene Communities, about both the Why and the How behind this platform.

• The Why: Because knowledge, when trapped in one person, dies with them. Shared knowledge, however, has the power to save lives, build stronger families, and transform organizations.

• The How: Through Scenario-Based Training, Decision-Making and Crew Resource Management, and structured Communication and Debriefing, we replicate the situations where real decisions are made. Together we capture what works, what fails, and what we wish we’d known sooner—so that the next person is better prepared.

This is not just about aviation, the military, or business. It’s about life. Relationships, parenting, leadership, personal growth—all of it is shaped by the choices we make and the lessons we take forward. In this community, we honor the past, apply what we’ve learned, and prepare for what’s next.

Building Your Community with Me

This community is not just a place to learn—it is a launchpad for transformation. Here, I will personally guide you in building your own community, showing you how to leverage this platform and, most importantly, how to leverage your story. Together, we will create spaces where your experiences become lessons that inspire, empower, and change lives.

You have a story that matters. You carry insights that someone else is waiting for—insights that could save them time, spare them pain, or ignite their growth. Inside this community, you’ll learn how to share those lessons with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

And you won’t walk this path alone. In this community, you’ll connect with others who are equally driven—people who are passionate about transforming lives while also building their own legacy of success. Together, we’ll fuel each other’s growth, sharpen each other’s vision, and create ripple effects that reach far beyond ourselves.

Whether your goal is to teach, lead, coach, or simply connect, I will walk beside you every step of the way—ensuring your voice is amplified, your story is heard, and your community thrives.

Who I Am

I’m Matthew Currin—a retired Marine Corps helicopter pilot, former AirCare EMS pilot, and now a corporate pilot for Team Penske, flying both helicopters and jets (G280 and G150). I am also the founder of Convene Communities, a platform designed to turn life experience into shared knowledge.

My journey has been shaped by:

• Serving as a Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) in the Marine Corps, mentoring aviators and shaping future programs in Crew Resource Management.

• Flying initial missions in Afghanistan after 9/11 and serving in combat zones where teamwork and decision-making were life or death.

• Completing 650+ medical flights as an EMS pilot, ensuring crews and patients made it safely through their most critical moments.

But above all, my journey has been shaped by that night in 2001 and the loss of Clark.

Why I Speak, Train, and Lead

For me, speaking and training isn’t just a career—it’s a calling born out of loss, responsibility, and hope. After the night that changed everything, I knew I couldn’t let Clark’s story or the lessons from that tragedy be forgotten. I realized that when experiences go unshared, people get hurt, families are impacted, and opportunities to grow are lost.

That’s why I created this platform—so our lessons don’t die with us, but instead live on to guide and protect others. Every decision we make is a chance to honor those we’ve lost and to help someone else make a better choice in their own life.

When I speak and train, I focus on:

• Scenario-Based Training – putting you in real situations where decisions matter.

• Decision Making and Crew Resource Management – learning how to think clearly and use every resource at your disposal.

• Communication and Teamwork – because success always comes from clarity and collaboration.

• Lessons Learned from Life Experience – the heart of it all: stories that teach, connect, and transform.

These lessons aren’t just for aviation—they apply everywhere: in the cockpit, in the boardroom, and around the dinner table at home. They help us make wiser choices, build stronger teams, and live more purposeful lives.

And now, through this community, I want to help you share your lessons so that together we create lasting impact.

The Bigger Mission

This community is not just about my story—it’s about our stories. When we pool our lessons, experiences, and wisdom, we create a resource that saves time, prevents mistakes, and, in some cases, saves lives.

Twelve seconds changed my life forever. But together, we can change many lives. This community is where we begin—and where we will grow, side by side, to make it happen.