• Brady Thomas
    • Nov 10, 2021
    • 2 min read

Happy Birthday, fellow Marines


Today, November 10, is the 246th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. Two weeks after graduating high school, I flew (my first time flying) to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in California to begin boot camp. Not long after arriving, I second-guessed my decision and realized that being homesick could be a true physical ailment. Another ailment I was suffering from was the incessant working out and being yelled at.


After boot camp, I graduated from the School of Infantry and joined the Scout Platoon under the 1st Tanks Battalion in Twentynine Palms, California. I eventually transferred to the Military Police at Twentynine Palms Marine Base and advanced from guarding the gate to being the Desk Sergeant, where I lead a military police shift.


While in the Marines, I deployed to Egypt for Operation Bright Star and to Kuwait for Operation Native Fury. While in Egypt, I had the opportunity to see The Sphinx and tour the Great Pyramid.


In the Marines, I was taught many lessons about leadership.

  • Lead by example: be willing to do the things you're asking other people to do.

  • Show the people you're leading that you're also willing to jump in and help.

  • Keep everyone in the loop: Poor communication leads to low morale.

  • Make sure everyone knows their role, understands the bigger picture, and knows the goal.

  • Rely on your people. They're the experts at what they do and can teach you about their job if you're humble enough to listen.

  • Leadership is about trust and respect: Trust and respect are earned over time by being a consistent leader that makes fair, logical, and reasonable decisions.

  • Collecting information, giving yourself for your team, making detailed plans, and communicating them to your team.

My time in the Marines was an invaluable experience and plays a large part of who I

am today. It's an honor to celebrate this day with my fellow Marines and to take a moment to appreciate all that I learned and gained in my military experience.


Happy Birthday fellow Marines!