SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii, Dec. 20, 2016 —
“Which is better -- the Army or the Marine Corps?”
Since he began his Army career after a break in service from the Marine Corps, Army Staff Sgt. Brian Hughes, an assistant operations noncommissioned officer assigned to 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment here, has heard that question often.
“People always ask me that,” he said. “My question is better at what? OK, what are you talking about?”
To those who ask, his answer to this question is heartfelt.
“I like to surround myself with outstanding people that are a team that are looking to accomplish a mission together,” he said. “In both, I have been surrounded by outstanding people, so that’s what makes up the Army, just as it makes up the Marine Corps. It makes up any business, … and both have outstanding people.”
His first assignment after graduating from infantry school in January 2010 was with the 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment here. That July, his battalion deployed to Kirkuk, Iraq, to a little-heard-of forward operating base called Gaines Mills, not far from FOB Warrior.
“It’s a small place,” he said. “The platoon was outstanding that I deployed with. I learned a lot.”
In Iraq, he served as an infantryman, an M240 machine gun operator, and even as a temporary radio telephone operator. He was introduced to soldier of the month boards that prepared him to further his Army career. “I still communicate with a lot of the soldiers that I served with there and became very close with those guys as well,” he said.
Finding a Community
Hughes redeployed here after a year in Iraq, and he remained until 2013. He volunteered to go to South Korea for a year to help maintain stability for his wife’s career as a school teacher.
“It was great professionally,” he said. “I earned my Expert Infantryman Badge. I was also recommended and brought into the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club in Korea. It was a good tour for me.”
Indeed, he returned in March 2014 for another three-year tour at Schofield Barracks – this time with the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment. There, Hughes and his wife, Julia, faced their toughest adversity together.
“I can tell you the toughest adversity that I had to face is -- it’ll be about two years ago now -- my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer,” he said.
The couple was not left alone, Hughes said. His unit supported them in their most trying time.
“There’s never been a more important time in the military when a unit can support a soldier,” he said. “The unit has really come to my family’s side, and they helped by providing meals.”
The unit and its leaders provided flexibility for the Hughes family, as Julia suffered through stage 4 cancer and 24 chemotherapy treatments.
“When you talk about adversity in the Army, we talk about Master Resilience Training and things like that, Hughes said. “What I always tell young soldiers and young guys is, ‘Listen. You need to prepare today for the battles and storms that are coming. You need to be prepared for when they happen.’ And it’s never been truer for us.”
Meeting Challenges
On Veterans Day, the Hughes were honored for their accomplishments and resilience when Hughes was made the grand marshal for the 70th Annual Wahiawa Veterans Day Parade.
“I was very surprised, because you have so many wonderful service members here on Oahu that could have been selected,” he said.
He felt humbled and hoped he had represented the Army and the military as a whole as grand marshal, he added. “I received nothing but positivity from the crowd,” he said.
Army Command Sgt. Maj. Brian M. Disque, the senior enlisted advisor for 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, said he selected Hughes because he was everything the Army looks for in a soldier.
“To me, Staff Sergeant Hughes is a great example of what we need our leaders to do and to be,” Disque said. “He’s dedicated to the mission. He places mentorship of soldiers and taking care of soldiers in high regard. He is the kind of soldier that makes every unit he’s in and every community he’s in better. For that reason, who better to represent us then as soldier [other than] Sergeant Hughes?”