s ▁Way . ▁He ▁is ▁the ▁current ▁sp ok esp erson ▁for ▁At omic ▁Be am ▁ ▁Background ▁Part ▁of ▁a ▁family ▁with ▁a ▁strong ▁tradition ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy , ▁Ell is ▁is ▁the ▁grand son ▁of ▁Naval ▁A vi ator ▁and ▁Vice ▁Admir al ▁Donald ▁D . ▁Eng en . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Southern ▁California ▁with ▁a ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁political ▁science , ▁before ▁entering ▁the ▁Navy ▁as ▁a ▁commission ed ▁officer ▁and ▁being ▁designated ▁as ▁a ▁Naval ▁A vi ator ▁following ▁completion ▁of ▁flight ▁training . ▁Ell is ▁graduated ▁first ▁in ▁his ▁flight ▁training ▁class ▁and , ▁during ▁his ▁ten - year ▁military ▁service , ▁he ▁am ass ed ▁ 4 3 3 ▁car rier ▁land ings ▁and ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁thousand ▁hours ▁of ▁flight ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁F / A - 1 8 ▁Hor net . ▁ ▁After ▁res ign ing ▁his ▁commission , ▁Ell is ▁worked ▁for ▁a ▁time ▁as ▁a ▁pilot ▁for ▁Fed Ex ▁Corporation . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁Ell is ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁frat ern ity ▁Al pha ▁T au ▁Om ega . ▁He ▁currently ▁res ides ▁in ▁Austin , ▁Texas , ▁with ▁his ▁wife ▁and ▁two ▁children . ▁ ▁Career ▁Ell is ▁was ▁a ▁particip ant ▁in ▁the ▁reality ▁TV ▁program ▁Sur viv or : ▁Mar ques as , ▁which ▁was ▁fil med ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁and ▁a ired ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁ ▁A ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Mar