Brandon Corbin

Brandon Corbin

From Childhood Dreams to Nightmares

By Amanda Renkiewicz

Iraqi hummer ran over IED in Mosul Iraq. Brandon’s 2nd tour.

While a popular belief says that angels live among us, we know for a fact that there are hidden heroes by our sides. Our veterans are the unsung guardians of our lives and freedoms. Their journeys are incredibly touching, difficult to imagine, and inspirational in the extreme. One local hero is Brandon Corbin, who first became interested in the military when our country went to war with Iraq. While as a child he had seen military movies and dreamt of being a soldier, it became a reality as he reached adulthood. “I decided to go into the infantry because my mindset was if I am going to do this I am going to do it right, and be in the fight,” Brandon explains. “I felt that I needed to serve and do my part for my country.”

Brandon’s military background is impressive. He served in the Army as an 11B for thirteen years and went to basic training through Alpha company 1-50 Battalion in Fort Benning, GA. From there, he received orders to the 2 Infantry Division 3rd Brigade (Stryker brigade) out of Fort Lewis, WA, and deployed twice with them to Iraq. Six months later, he received orders to be a Drill Sergeant. After his time on the trail, he was given orders to Fort Richardson and the Airborne brigade and assigned to the 3-509th battalion. With them, he deployed to the Afghanistan RC East region. When he returned, he spent a year running the Arctic Warrior Combative Academy teaching hand to hand techniques. Following orders to Fort Jackson, SC, Brandon was a Master Fitness Instructor, and then assigned as an Instructor at the Initial Military Training Leadership Development course. His term of service was completed on April 1, 2016.

While his official military experience ended, the recurring trauma of being a soldier doesn’t go away. Brandon suffers from PTSD that lingers from his three deployments. “The first time, we reacted to numerous elements while being ambushed. My platoon lost one soldier during this deployment to suicide. We received indirect fire my entire time during that deployment,” he recalls. “My platoon’s last duty during the first tour was to protect an Iraqi Army training center. During that time, we came under mortar fire while I was on guard tower duty. We had rounds hit our main building, but luckily the majority of mortars they fired were duds. I will never forget the sounds and flashes of that event. During my second deployment, we encountered EFPs (Explosive Formed Penetrator) type of IEDs and VBEDs (Vehicle Borne Explosive Device). We have reacted to many casualties of these bombs that targeted Iraqi citizens, Iraqi Army/Police, and some of my fellow soldiers. And midway through that tour, sniper became more prevalent; we had a soldier from our company hit by a sniper while out in the sector.”

“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” G.K. Chesterton

Brandon continues, “With that being said, I still cannot drive over anything in the road, no matter if it’s just trash or roadkill or even potholes. Dreams are still powerful reminders of everything that happened. I avoid congested areas to the best of my ability. People’s hands are very important to me to see when out in public. Even just on walks, I’m still looking for the best place to take cover. My brain never shuts off with all the risks I perceive.”

Kelley Murphy, mother to Brandon’s boys, harvesting pumpkins during the Fall Harvest.

When asked what Brandon recommends for fellow veterans who suffer from PTSD, he quickly answered. “The sooner you can find help, the better the results. Find a group of veterans since they’re going through the same situation. Regardless of how much we never want to bring it out to the surface and as strong as our characters are, everyone has tough moments. Don’t wait to be at the bottom to find help when it seems so far away. It’s hard to become vulnerable to our past events, but believe me, this is a fight that’s easier to fight together. As we do for our country, it’s one team, one fight.”

As Brandon looks to the future of his veteran community, he hopes that his fellow officers don’t slip through the cracks. “The faster a veteran becomes engaged in the community, in their own care, and through gainful employment, the smoother their transitions become.” This advice is something he follows daily, and allows him to move through life with gratitude and honor.

Photo near Rahman Kheyl Afghanistan, 3rd tour.

Five of Brandon’s seven children. Alexis, far left. Kirsten in the middle holding Brandon, Jr., Kirsten’s boyfriend, Matt, far right. Matt just graduated basic training himself! Far left bottom row is Mayson and middle is Aybel.

Squad photo at Combat Outpost (COP) Rahman Kheyl Afghanistan, 3rd tour. Brandon was Drill Sergeant while at 2-54 in Fort Benning, GA.

Observational post for mortar firing positions, 1st tour, Mosul Iraq.