Staff Sergeant Casey Brewster

Casey, along with two younger siblings, was raised by his grandparents from the age of nine. Even then, he knew he wanted to enter the military, inspired by his grandfather’s service in Korea and Vietnam. As fate would have it, a National Guard recruiter visited his home on his 17th birthday and his military career was hatched. Seventeen years later, he is still an infantryman in the National Guard.

Casey credits his military service for giving him the mental toughness and ambition to be successful in graduate school. He says the military taught him to stay focused on his objectives, which helped him through the challenges of graduate school, family life and his military career. During his first deployment to Iraq, he lost his squad leader and his closest friend lost a leg. Casey, himself a purple heart recipient, has no regrets on his decision to enter the military.

Casey aspires to earn a PhD and eventually seek a post-doctoral program and ultimately earn entry into a research-based university as a faculty member.

Through his membership in the American Veterans Motorcycle Club, Casey has raised money to help needy families enjoy Christmas dinner, escorted family members of fallen military veterans to memorial services, directed and supported several memorial rides in honor of fallen veterans and visited veterans in convalescent homes.