Matthew Charette spent 5 years in the US Marine Corps. From a family of Marines and military service stretching back generations, Matthew knew early on he was going into the military, taking the ASVAB in 9th grade! Initially assigned to Fleet Anti-Terrorism/Security Forces, Matthew deployed to multiple locations in Europe. Later assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines-Kilo Company, Matthew was deployed to Helmand, Afghanistan and was part of the initial assault of Operation Moshtarak, also known as the Battle of Marjah. Matthew takes us through his 8-month Afghanistan deployment in Marjah, part of a province bordering Pakistan thick with Taliban and al Qaeda. From the initial assault and daily gunfights to the more mundane aspects of establishing bases and patrolling, Matthew speaks movingly of his fellow Marines and their professionalism and dedication to duty, often under extreme conditions. Since leaving the Marine Corps, Matthew has linked up with fellow Marine and former guest Ryan Rogers (Episode #56), to create the Choices Not Chances podcast, giving a voice to former Marines, warfighters and people from all walks of life.
Listen, follow and subscribe to Choices Not Chances here:
https://anchor.fm/choicesnotchancespodcast/episodes/Choices-Not-Chances-Episode-2-e15ckcf