Marines are just built different and men like Douglas E. Berry prove it. Coming from a storied line of military service - his grandfather serving bravely in the U.S. Navy during WWII and his father serving in the USMC for 30 years from 1965 to 1995 - you could say he was born for it. Though Douglas didn’t choose just to follow in his forefather's footsteps, he wanted to carve his own path and make his own legacy. So in the summer of 1987, at 18 years old, Douglas enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Choosing the Marines not because of his family history but because of USMC’s reputation. A reputation for toughness, grit, and resilience, and for forging some of the most formidable individuals in military history. After completing recruit training, Douglas would then report to the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton, California, and not long thereafter would receive orders to participate in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Over the next few years, Douglas would go from Kuwait, back stateside, then to Kosovo, and to be stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina where he would meet his future wife and mother of his two children, Megan. Of course after September 11th, 2001, everything would change. In June 2002, now Gunnery Sergeant Berry reported to 1st Battalion, 8th Marines company C and served valiantly in Operation Iraqi Freedom I and II. While serving in Iraq he would lead Marines into combat on multiple occasions including the Battle of Fallujah. Fallujah being widely regarded as a turning point in the Iraq War and as one of the largest urban combat engagements for the U.S. Military since the Battle of Huế City in Vietnam in 1968. Over the course of the next 10 years, Douglas would rise up the ranks to First Sergeant and then finally to Sergeant Major. His assignments would see him go back to Iraq, then to Afghanistan, and unique experiences serving as Sergeant Major for Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron-369 and the Assault Amphibian School Battalion at Camp Pendleton. Sergeant Major Berry is well decorated with his personal awards including the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star, Air Medal with Strike Flight Numeral Three, the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold stars, and combat distinguishing device, the Navy Achievement Medal with three gold stars and combat distinguishing device, and the Combat Action Ribbon with one gold star.
