Matthew Balas

For Director

My name is Matthew Balas, and I was born and raised in Chesapeake, Virginia, one of the largest military towns in the country. I was a good student, but it wasn't until I watched "Black Hawk Down" at the age of 13 that I knew the military was my calling. Initially, I aspired to be an Army Ranger, but a conversation with my high school recruiter changed my mind. They convinced me that a $20k signing bonus wouldn't mean much if I, and those around me, weren't well-trained enough to stay alive. The more I learned, the more I realized I was meant to be a Marine. At 17, with my parents' consent, I went to boot camp just three days after graduating high school.

Boot camp was grueling, and I quickly realized I wouldn't retire as a Marine as I had initially thought. I became an 0352 at SOI to avoid going to the field whenever possible. I graduated and joined the newly formed 1/9 Battalion in December '06. Watching the unit grow into a combat battalion was a rollercoaster.

My first deployment was to Ramadi, Iraq, in '08, where I was stationed at an Iraqi Police Station with 11 other Marines called 'Warrar.' I was just a few miles away from where Jordan Haerter met his tragic and heroic fate. I learned a lot during that deployment and my subsequent MEU deployment, which took me to Haiti after the earthquake and many other places.

After my enlistment ended, I knew I wanted to go to college and build a better life for myself, using my experiences as a foundation for growth. The 'University of Florida' pushed me a lot like 'Parris Island'. I treated the challenge similarly, and refused to give up when courses got challenging. I also found what I missed from being a Marine when I found Rugby. I played for 3 years in Gainesville, FL and enjoyed every second of it. It was the same brotherhood I was looking for. I went on to get my Masters in Accounting and my CPA. 

I now have a job doing consulting for accounting software for a large accounting firm. I have been doing this for 11 years now (my first job out of college) and have learned a tremendous amount. I believe I have a lot of skills I have learned to help the 1/9 organization grow and be a positive force change & good.

I always say, I didn’t choose to be a Marine, I was BORN to be a Marine. I want to take that fire and ambition and use it for a positive cause.