Moore, who is now navigating one of the most complicated maritime and infrastructural challenges in the country, told me that his military service prepared him for the catastrophic event.

"When I got the call, it immediately kicked you into your training," Moore said of his reaction to news of the bridge collapse. "You check on your people, establish accountability, and follow up. When we got word about everything that had happened, I got very focused and tried to figure out what needed to get done now."

Moore has stressed that in the military, everything is about accomplishing the mission at hand, irrespective of personal differences. And he has spoken at-length about how the concept of American patriotism doesn't belong to any one political party.

When discussing the bridge collapse that triggered the temporary closure of the Port of Baltimore, Moore told me that he held onto the mindset of expecting the unknown.

It's a trait that be tested in a major way in the coming weeks and months, as the first-term Democratic governor and the state's congressional delegation work to secure federal funding to rebuild the bridge.

"I joined the Army when I was 17 years old. I had no idea when I was leading soldiers in Afghanistan that it would prepare me for this moment," he said. "One thing that training taught us is that the only certainty is uncertainty."