The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
10.30.2026 | Longhorn Sports Properties / Learfield
The UT graduate and former major in the Texas Army National Guard will be honored when Texas Football hosts Mississippi State on Oct. 31
Steven Carnes' path to military service began long before he put on a uniform. Growing up in Marshall, Texas, he learned early the value of hard work and the responsibility that comes with providing for others.
"What we had was based on how many hours you could work in a day, the sweat of your brow, and whether people would pay you," Carnes said.
Those lessons fueled his determination to pursue an education that could broaden his opportunities and eventually led to a life marked by service, commitment, and faith.
Carnes paid his way through college and law school by juggling multiple jobs, including as a Texas Senate messenger, delivery truck driver, and security guard. A work-study appointment in the law library led to a connection that turned into a clerkship and eventually a chance to build his legal practice. Education – steadily earned and supported by relentless effort – became the foundation that prepared him for both his civilian career and his eventual military service.
After moving to Austin to attend The University of Texas, Carnes earned a liberal arts degree in 1990 before heading to Houston for law school. Upon graduating he met someone who served as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) in the Army National Guard, who inspired him to apply and join the National Guard himself.
"It was a non-traditional path, but the military had been a big draw for me," Carnes said. "There is a long history of service in my family, from World War II and Vietnam."
Carnes served in the Texas Army National Guard from 1998-2011, was promoted to the rank of major, and practiced as an Army JAG. The National Guard's significant stateside mission includes service, such as disaster relief or hurricane response; however, the tone and tempo of Carnes' service shifted dramatically in 2001 after the September 11 attacks.
"Before 9-11, you had a reasonable expectation of what service would be – a weekend a month, 15 to 30 days in the summer, and some other schools or training throughout. That all changed on 9-11," Carnes said. "It went from training just in case to training to deploy."
Carnes was working at Soldier Readiness Processing, assisting other soldiers preparing to deploy, when he was handed a folder and received orders to deploy to Iraq with the 56th Brigade Combat Team. In July 2004, Carnes mobilized at Fort Hood for a six-month training build-up, and his National Guard brigade was assigned to an active-duty component, the XVIII Airborne Corps. Carnes left on his birthday in late December 2004 for Kuwait; the unit pushed forward from there into Iraq and remained a full year.
"You expected that every couple of years you would be gone," said Carnes, whose three children were all under the age of eight at the time. "You were either deploying, returning or getting ready to deploy."
Carnes returned from Iraq to Fort Hood and was released the first week of January 2006. He was back at his civilian law office the very next day. His practice in San Antonio had only narrowly weathered his absence, and readjusting to daily civilian routines presented real challenges.
"You think it's going to be easy, but you're going from a situation where every day for a year and a half you're handling a firearm in a combat zone and barking orders," Carnes said. "You cannot treat your family or civilian employees like you are treated in the military. You must adapt your mindset and your language."
As Carnes continued to balance the demands of military service, a law practice and a young family, he eventually recognized that his professional and personal commitments required a new chapter. With gratitude for his years of service and the experiences that shaped him, he transitioned out of the military and focused fully on his civilian endeavors.
Those endeavors continue to center on serving others, especially those with military and paramilitary backgrounds. For almost 30 years Carnes has served as managing attorney for Group Legal Services and represents San Antonio police officers and firefighters. In 2007, Carnes started a business to build and expand veteran cemeteries across the United States – a natural fit given his upbringing and skill set.
"I grew up in construction," Carnes said, "and God puts you in moments where you either move forward or you don't. And I just happened to be put in a moment and took a leap of faith to create this business."
The power of prayer and faithful community support were a comfort and refuge during his deployment, Carnes said, and his devotion as a church deacon and pastoral advisor is yet another visible thread in a life transformed through faith, education and diligence.
"Wherever you're at, you are never far from God," Carnes said. "The fact that I started out on the wrong side of town, where probably not many left, to find myself with a family that is well-adjusted, loving, and successful, that gives me a sense of contentment."
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