My name is Bryan C and I live in Louisville, Kentucky. I am 40 years of age and joined the United States Marine Corps in December of 1994. I retired after 21+ years of service on February 29, 2016 as a Master Sergeant and am very excited to start my new life. My military occupational specialty (MOS) while in the Marine Corps was a 6173 (CH-53E Crew Chief) which consisted of being responsible for the maintenance upkeep and safety of flight items on the ground. While flying my duties consisted of loading and unloading of all cargo and personnel aboard, troubleshooting any maintenance issues, assisting the pilots with navigation and manning a .50CAL machine gun mounted on the ramp of the aircraft. Over my 21+ years I deployed nine times, seven of which were in combat (3 Iraq, 4 Afghanistan). I accumulated over 3900 flight hours and obtained several qualifications vital to the success of the unit.
My time in the Marine Corps has changed my life drastically for the good. Although I have been some places that I never want to go again it has built me to be the man I am today. I was a pretty good kid but didn’t put forth my maximum effort in school and looking back, I wish I could have a do over. The Marines taught me so much but I will only touch a few that I think are a staple for every man to have. Accountability is something that I grew up with but the Marine Corps really took to a new level. Dependability is something that I really took to heart as I became a leader and had troops under my charge. When my Marines saw that I was there right next to them and they knew I would not lead them astray it really made me feel as though I had grown in to a man that we all strive to be. Leadership is a trait that is learned at a very young age in the service. Men and women are put in situations where decisions have to be made and some are life and death. The last one I will mention is self assurance. If you asked me 22 years ago if I would have accomplished this much in my life by the age of 40 I would have laughed but the truth is that if you put your heart and soul to something you can achieve greatness. I didn’t get this far without paying a price though.
I have recently submitted my claim to the VA for disability compensation and with 18 claims they tell me I should receive a fairly high percentage. A monthly check really isn’t the point for me but I do appreciate being compensated for what I have had to endure. I am more concerned with getting the proper treatment to get some of my issues fixed. I have a movement disorder that I live with everyday and within the past 5-7 years it has worsen due to stress and anxiety. The doctor’s have explained it to me as neurological seizures which in plain language means that my neurological cords running from my brain that control voluntary movement constantly vibrate causing me to shake all the time. It has gotten to the point where I can’t pick up a glass of water with my left hand without it spilling out. This has definitely turned in to a quality of life issue for me. I have also been diagnosed with severe PTSD (Fight or Flight Syndrome). I am on a constant state of guard and rarely can relax. The stress of seven combat deployments has worn me down to a point that it is hard to find peace. With counseling this has started to get better and I am convinced I will be fine but it’s tough. I have dealt with nightmares for quite some time of a few scenarios from normal workplace activities to dusty landings in a helicopter to combat operations. Staying engaged after retirement will help me to move past these issues in time I’m hoping.
In all honesty the Marine Corps has been an amazing building block for me and shaped me in to the man I am today. I would not trade anything I have done or anywhere I have been for anything. I am proud of my service but I am ready to move on to the next chapter of my life. I have registered for school and start in June. I am pursuing my Airframes and Power Plants license which is needed by the FAA to work on civilian aircraft. My hope is to complete this within two years, graduate with an Associate Degree in Aviation Technology and work for United Parcel Service as a Plane Captain. I am honored to have this chance for this scholarship. If you have any questions or need any information, my contact information is below. Thank you for your time.
