Jonathan J. Springer

About Me

Jonathan Springer staring down the Pech Valley while testing his mobile app Tactical NAV in 2011.

My Mission

My mission is to honor the memory of fallen soldiers and support today’s warfighters by building tools that save lives, bridge technological gaps, and embody the values of service, resilience, and integrity.

Jonathan Springer – U.S. Army Combat Veteran, Author, and Creator of Tactical NAV & TACNAV-X

My Story

My Mission

I’m a U.S. Army combat veteran who served as a field artillery officer in Iraq and Afghanistan. After losing soldiers and witnessing the risks of outdated technology, I set out to build Tactical NAV—a tool designed to save lives.

U.S. Army Captain Jonathan Springer (creator of Tactical NAV) with Geraldo Rivera in Afghanistan.

My Vision

My Mission

My Vision

Whether through my mobile app Tactical NAV or my writing, my vision is to always serve others—by honoring sacrifice, sharing hard-won lessons, and making a lasting, positive impact for those who need it most.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Please reach me at jon@jonspringer.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

Who is Jonathan Springer?

Jonathan J. Springer is an Army veteran, entrepreneur, and the creator of Tactical NAV—a combat-proven military navigation app born from his experiences in Afghanistan.

He served as a U.S. Army field artillery officer, deploying to some of the most challenging environments of the Global War on Terrorism. Driven by a deep sense of duty and the loss of close friends in combat, Jonathan built Tactical NAV from the ground up, turning a personal mission to save lives into a tool now used by soldiers and first responders worldwide.

Beyond his military service, Jon is the CEO of TacNav Systems, the company behind Tactical NAV. He is also a writer and storyteller.

His forthcoming memoir, Navigating with Purpose, blends personal testimony, battlefield memory, and the journey of building something meaningful after trauma and loss. Jonathan is dedicated to supporting the military community, honoring the fallen, and breaking the stigma around mental health for veterans.

He currently lives with his wife and continues to innovate, write, and advocate for those who serve—especially by giving back to the disabled veteran community, fulfilling a lifelong commitment to supporting service members, Gold Star families, and the memory of the fallen.

What is Tactical NAV?

Tactical NAV is a combat-proven military navigation app born on the front lines of Afghanistan, designed to bring precision, safety, and innovation to those who serve.

Developed by Army veterans who experienced firsthand the limitations of traditional military GPS systems, Tactical NAV transforms an ordinary smartphone into a mission-critical navigation tool. The app empowers soldiers, first responders, and outdoor professionals to plot waypoints, share encrypted locations, and coordinate movements with accuracy once reserved for expensive government systems—all through a secure, user-friendly interface.

But Tactical NAV is more than technology—it’s a lifeline. Created after the loss of close friends in combat, the app was built not in a boardroom, but under fire, out of necessity and a personal mission to save lives and close the gaps that put troops at risk. Today, Tactical NAV is trusted worldwide by warfighters and emergency teams, praised for its reliability in situations where seconds and meters mean everything.

At its core, Tactical NAV is about serving others, honoring the fallen, and ensuring every mission gets the best chance at success—because for some, navigation isn’t just about getting from point A to point B. It’s about coming home.

What is Navigating with Purpose?

Navigating with Purpose is a story forged in war and refined in the aftermath—a journey through loss, betrayal, survival, and ultimately, transformation. It’s about what happens when the structures meant to hold us up falter, and we’re forced to chart our own course through darkness, uncertainty, and pain.

The memoir follows my path from the battlefields of Afghanistan to the lonely crossroads that followed—where I confronted the weight of memory, the ache of absence, and the challenge of building something meaningful out of what was broken. Out of necessity and conviction, I created Tactical NAV—a tool designed to save lives, born from personal loss and the relentless drive to ensure others would make it home.

At its core, Navigating with Purpose is about more than war. It’s about carrying the mission forward when the uniform comes off—finding meaning after chaos, building hope from heartbreak, and discovering that sometimes the most important battles are fought long after the shooting stops. It’s a testament to resilience, conscience, and the possibility of renewal for anyone who’s ever faced the unanswerable questions of what comes next.

Jonathan Springer Veteran. Writer. Creator of Tactical NAV.

My Blog

Introducing Tactical NAV to Senior DoD Leaders

About Me

My Mission

My Mission

My Mission

My Story

My Mission

My Mission

My Vision

My Mission

My Vision

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Contact Me

Drop me a line, I'd love to hear from you!

Jonathan Springer Veteran. Writer. Creator of Tactical NAV.

My Blog

Introducing Tactical NAV to Senior DoD Leaders

About Me

My Mission

My Mission

My Mission

My Story

My Mission

My Mission

My Vision

My Mission

My Vision

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Follow me on social media for updates.

Contact Me

Drop me a line, I'd love to hear from you!