Drew Thomsen

US Marines MARSOC,
US Army 3/75th Ranger Regiment, SSG

Drew Thomsen originally joined the US Marine Corps in 2001 drawn by the events of 9/11. He discharged from the Marines after 6 years to get a college degree and followed that degree by enlisting in the US Army in 2014 to pursue a career in the military fulfilling what he calls his greatest accomplishment of his life by leading men into combat. In June 2015 while stationed in Korea Drew was completing airborne training when he was impaled during a jump by a metal pole resulting in a colostomy for months and was told he would never do many things again. Despite the odds, Drew excelled in his recovery and returned to duty within 18 months deploying two times to Afghanistan. During his 2^nd deployment to Afghanistan, drew was suffered severe never damage to the brachial plexus nerve root affecting his left arm, chest, shoulder & back, as well as several herniated disks in his spine, when a flight crewman dropped a 200 pound crate on his head. After realizing due to his injuries he was more of a liability rather than an asset he made the hardest decision of his life to walk away from a career in the military. Drew has recently relocated with his family to Arizona and is attending Arizona State University W.P. Carey School of Business for an MBA. Upon completing his MBA, Drew plans on building a company that deals in leadership development, fitness, and mentorship. He hopes to volunteer his time with the Glendale Fire department while completing his education and will also be working full time with Aurora Behavioral Health as a Community Business Liaison visiting hospitals, police and fire departments, and local bases to talk about TBI & PTSD and the services ABH can provide. He spends his spare time with his wife, Rayla and their two children, Logan & Marley.