Photo By Lance Cpl. Edward Spears | U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Siddharth Butala, a crew chief with Marine Light Attack...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. – U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Siddharth Butala enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve for direction. An aspiring aerospace engineer, he saw the Reserves as an opportunity to explore military aviation firsthand while advancing his education and building real-world skills he could carry into his civilian career.
Butala recently participated with Integrated Training Exercise (ITX) 3-25 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California as part of his annual training requirements for the Marine Corps Reserve. ITX is a critical Marine Air-Ground Task Force Exercise for the Marine Forces Reserve's training cycle, confirming unit readiness through live-fire and combined-arms integration.
Butala is a crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA)-773, 4th Marine Air Group.
Butala splits his time between the flight line and the classroom. When he’s not performing close air support as a gunner in a UH-1Y Venom, he’s studying engineering, preparing for his pilot’s license, and working as a lab technician.
“As a kid, I always wanted to fly, but I wasn’t totally sure how,” Butala said. “I figured the Reserves would let me explore aviation, give me hands-on experience, and help me set myself up for a good career.”
“Out here, we’re flying with Cobras, shooting Hellfires [rockets], and working with live artillery and infantry movements,” Butala said. “That level of integration, seeing how air and ground elements work together, changes the way you understand combat. It makes you a more lethal warfighter.”
His duties extend beyond weapons systems. Butala is responsible for the aircraft, maintaining systems and ensuring operational readiness. For someone studying aerospace engineering, the real-world experience is invaluable.
“Turning wrenches while studying aircraft design gives me a completely different perspective,” he said. “You learn that the best aircraft on paper doesn’t matter if it can’t be maintained. That lesson directly applies to how I think about engineering now.”
His time in the Corps has made him sharper in ways that translate directly into his future profession by instilling mindset and character.
“Being in the Reserves has taught me discipline,” Butala said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re hot, cold, tired. If something needs to be done, you do it. And you learn how to push your limits. Every time I train, I realize I’m capable of more than I thought.”
With only a few years in service in the Marine Corps Reserve, Butala already sees the tangible career advantages of his time. He points to the value of holding a secret security clearance, mechanical certifications, and experience working on military-grade systems.
“Those things stand out on a resume,” he said. “Big-name companies love to see it. And wanting to be a pilot myself, having a working knowledge of aircraft systems and communications gives me an edge.”
Gunnery Sgt. Daniel Fitzgerald, a weapons and tactics instructor in Butala’s squadron, when asked about his character said: “Butala is an extremely intelligent individual who doesn’t relent until he has an uncompromising grasp of the situation within the objective area.”
As he prepares to enter his third year of college and continue flight training, Butala encourages other young people to consider the Reserve path, especially those still trying to find their direction.
“I’d tell them: go for it,” he said. “It’s challenging, but you’re stronger than you think. You get to serve your country, build skills, and avoid a lifetime of wondering ‘what if?’”
| Date Taken: | 06.12.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.14.2025 00:17 |
| Story ID: | 500633 |
| Location: | TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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