ALTAMONT — When a Navy nuclear-submarine officer with a degree in mechanical engineering says, “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself,” you’d be crazy to think that that something will not get done.

It just so happens for Michael Merwin — a 22-year veteran of the Navy — that something is beef jerky.

Earlier this month, Merwin’s business, “Crazy Mike’s Beef Jerky Company,” of Altamont was certified by the New York State Office of General Services as a service-disabled veteran-owned business.

Merwin acquired the “Crazy” tag from friends because of his adventurousness and willingness to try anything once, however crazy it may be. The long list includes among other things: jumping out of planes, scuba diving,  marathons, and triathlons.

Signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo in May 2014, the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act gives businesses owned by veterans the opportunity to participate in the state’s contracting and procurement process.

How does a beef-jerky company take advantage of an opportunity that is normally associated with construction and engineering?

By offering a product that no other company does.

To do so, Merwin can sell his product to any state agency or company with a state-agency contract that has a need for edible items, according to Heather Groll, a spokeswoman for the Office of General Services.

Merwin began making beef jerky while he was in the Navy. “A friend came into work one day with a food dehydrator and told me that I owed him $50,” Merwin said. His friend had been watching an infomercial and the dehydrator was on sale, two for one.

Merwin hit on his recipe for jerky in 1994; and, for the next two decades, he heard “you know, you could really make this a business,” from friends, family, and co-workers. But it was not until 2013 when he began to seriously consider a business, and by 2015 he had incorporated.

Merwin partners with a co-packer who makes the product, while he focuses on marketing and sales.

Merwin has an online store; and, locally, For the Love of Bacon, in Altamont, and Indian Ladder Farms, carry “Crazy Mike’s Beef Jerky.” For the serious beef-jerky lover, Merwin offers monthly-subscription plans.

While he continues to grow his business, Merwin has a day job as a Quality Engineer for Angiodynamics, medical-device manufacturer, in Glens Falls. And said that, he wants to get to the point where “Crazy Mike’s Beef Jerky” can be his full-time focus.