Military Experience

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The plan was to join the Marine Corps out of high school. But in the summer of 1997 I got lyme disease which resulted in a medical disqualification. So I changed plans and went to college. A recruiter reached out to me in 2000, my sophomore year, and said it was possible to get a medical waiver. Since I was already on a different career path, I joined the Marine Corps Reserve, got the medical waiver and was off to boot camp when the semester ended. 

I served with the 6th Motor Transport Battalion, General Support Company in Providence, Rhode Island. My military occupation was Motor Vehicle Operator. I initially drove 5-ton and 7-ton vehicles, later expanding my licenses to Logistical Vehicle Systems and Fuel Tankers. 

In 2003 we were activated as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and shipped off to Kuwait. After spending about a month at Shuaiba Port transporting vehicles off of ships, we headed to breach point west to prepare for the invasion on March 22nd. My first mission was in support of 6th Engineers to drive the trucks carrying hoses in support of 6th Engineers laying a fuel line up to Camp Viper. 

The remainder of the deployment, I continued to run supply missions to the front lines, transports POWs, and provide general support as needed. I volunteered to stay an additional 3 months back at Shuaiba Port to load the vehicles back on ships, and I returned home in October of 2023. 

I was activated again at the end of 2024 and headed back to Iraq, stationed at Camp TQ, where my primary objectives were to run supply missions from the airfield in Camp TQ to Camp Fallujah. We also were tasked with providing support in the Battle of Fallujah. While there, I attended a corporal's course where I finished first in my class. 

I completed my 6 year contract with the Marine Corps in 2006 so that I could focus on my civilian career. 

Medals and Awards

• Select Marine Corps Reserve Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Presidential Unit Citation Iraq  Campaign Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal
• 2 Meritorious Masts.