Peter Thomas, Navy Dependent

Peter Thomas is the son of a 22-year Navy veteran and the brother of an Army Special Forces trainee. Service to one’s community is something that has been passed on though Peter’s family for generations.

His grandfathers were both World War II veterans and his grandmothers both served their communities as nurses. Between working and raising four children, Peter’s mother also found the time to volunteer for Navy Relief. The same tradition to service is embodied in Peter’s siblings: aside from his brother in the Army, his other brother is studying to become a math teacher and his sister is training to become a registered nurse.

After serving two tours as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer, first in Niger and then in Guinea, Peter will return home to begin graduate studies at the University of Southern California’s School of Policy, Planning and Development and earn a master’s of public policy. Upon completion of this program, Peter hopes to apply what he has learned from his experiences and in his education toward assisting in the reconstruction efforts in places like Afghanistan and Iraq.