About Me — Brian Patrick

From The Midwest To The US Marines And Beyond

In The Woods Up North | Photo By Author

I grew up in a small town in the Midwest, surrounded by the values of hard work, community, and resilience — qualities that would later help define much of my life.

The ’90s were an awesome time to come of age, with Sound Garden, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam making their way to the top of the radio stations and my CD collection, and the Internet just starting to creep into my life. (queue the dial-up modem sound here…) The days of the AOL chatrooms were memorable.

As I enjoyed the typical teenage rambunctiousness of the era, I was burdened by the uncertainty of where I wanted my life to go.

With no clear path to follow, I made a decision that would shape the rest of my life: I joined the Marines and left for boot camp shortly after graduating from high school. I went to boot camp in San Deigo (West Coast Best Coast — IYKYK)

I served on active duty with the US Marines for nearly a decade — I spent most of my time on the West Coast of the US and through the Asia—Pacific region, including time on a US Navy ship, and in the Korean DMZ. I even visited a conference room in the DMZ which allowed me to briefly cross into North Korea (while remaining inside the room).