Photo By Lance Cpl. Tyler Wilson | U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Branson Tucker, a combat engineer with I Marine Expeditionary...... read more read more
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The U.S. Marine Corps prides itself on being the few, the proud, comprised of men and women from all walks of life. No matter where they came from, they share the title of a United States Marine.
U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Branson Tucker, a combat engineer with I Marine Expeditionary Force Support Battalion, I MEF Information Group, is a first-generation Marine creating a legacy for his name. Tucker, born and raised in Oakboro, North Carolina, attended West Stanly High School. Graduating high school in 2020, Tucker enlisted in the Marine Corps driven by his interest in firearms and the opportunity to travel.
“It’s a small town, really no more than 10,000 people,” said Tucker.
Before joining the military and with plenty of rural land available, Tucker became involved with the Future Farmers of America – a premier youth organization preparing members for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture. In his free time, Tucker learned, studied, and practiced handling and customizing firearms. These hobbies encouraged his decision to enlist in the Marine Corps, allowing him to continue handling weaponry. Enlisting also provides Tucker with the opportunity to travel, study abroad and experience new cultures.
“Growing up in a small-town, farming and building guns, the Marine Corps felt natural to me. Every Marine’s a rifleman and that’s what I am,” Tucker said.
“We [combat engineers] deal with all kinds of things, from carpentry and explosives to even concrete work,” said Tucker. “Vertical and horizontal construction are a big thing.”
Recently, Tucker worked to support and establish a command post for Exercise Steel Knight 23.2, taking place from Nov. 27, 2023 – Dec. 15, 2023. Steel Knight is an annual, three-phase exercise designed to train I Marine Expeditionary Force in the planning, deployment and command and control of a joint force against a peer or near-peer adversary combat force and enhance existing live-fire and maneuver capabilities of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force.
“We set up camouflage netting which is thermal resistant so you cannot see heat signatures through it, which helps conceal the rest of the camp,” Tucker explained.
After three years of active-duty service, Tucker wants to continue his career with the aspiration of commissioning as an officer in the United States Marine Corps through the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Program.
“Every Marine is a rifleman,” said Tucker. “I won’t forget my roots and I’m not finished yet; it’s just getting started.”
| Date Taken: | 12.01.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 12.01.2023 13:34 |
| Story ID: | 458894 |
| Location: | OCEANSIDE, CA, US |
| Hometown: | OAKBORO, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 253 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Hometown Hero: Small-town farmer to US Marine, by LCpl Tyler Wilson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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