About Scott
Founder of Create Memories Thru Travel
Hi, I’m Scott Wilson — retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, proud father, fiancé to the wonderful Raquel, and the founder of Create Memories Thru Travel.
My story isn’t one of a smooth, straight path. It’s one of turbulence, resilience, and rediscovery.
For over 31 years I served in the Army — from Combat Engineer to Infantry, Military Police, and Logistics. I deployed to Panama after Operation Just Cause, served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom III, and worked as a liaison officer to the Mongolian Army in Afghanistan. I thrived on structure, mission, and service.
Then in 2017, everything changed at once.
My mom had life-saving brain surgery that left her paralyzed on one side of her face. Two months later, my dad suffered a stroke right before Christmas. While I was flying back and forth from Alaska to Idaho to be with them, my marriage collapsed. My boss at the Alaska Army National Guard gave me an ultimatum: resign or be fired. I resigned. Suddenly I was a full-time single dad, financially strained, and without the identity I had worn for three decades.
Those were the darkest days of my life. But they also became the soil where something new could grow.
Through it all, my children — Kianna and Ryan — showed me what real strength looks like. I met Raquel, a beautiful soul from Brazil, and together we began traveling the world. From the beaches of Cancún where our relationship came alive, to ancient castles in Scotland, snowy pines in McCall, peaceful shores of Orcas Island, and warm family moments in Brazil — I rediscovered that life doesn’t end when it falls apart. It begins again when you choose to rise.
Today, at 63, I’m healthier — down from 278 to 242 pounds and still heading toward 200, financially stable through my retirement streams, and more purposeful than ever. I’ve turned the hard-earned lessons from my military career, my collapse, and my rebuilding into a mission: helping fellow retirees and those 50+ design an intentional, adventurous second half of life.
That’s why I created Create Memories Thru Travel.
Retirement Is Not the End — It’s the Beginning
I don’t just book trips. I help you reclaim your time, rediscover your purpose, and build a life of meaning on your own terms — the same journey I wrote about in my book, Retirement Bucket List. Whether it’s a river cruise through Europe, a faith-based journey, an active adventure, or a quiet escape where you can finally breathe, I combine my 30+ years of logistics expertise with my personal passion for purposeful travel to create experiences that matter.
My own bucket list keeps growing: dancing with Raquel, fishing in turquoise waters, speaking on stages about intentional retirement, and helping others turn “What now?” into “What’s next!”
If you’re standing at the edge of retirement — excited but maybe a little uncertain — you’re not alone. I’ve been there. And I’m here to walk beside you as you write the next, best chapter of your story.
Let’s create memories that last a lifetime — together.
Scott Wilson
Founder, Create Memories Thru Travel
Author of Retirement Bucket List
U.S. Army Retired