JACKSONVILLE, N.C. -- U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Zachary Keller, an airfield operations supervisor with Base Operations, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron (H&HS), is Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River’s Go-Getter of the month. Keller, a Minonk, Illinois native, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2021.
Throughout his high school career, Keller participated in many sports that his school offered, including baseball, basketball, football, and bass fishing. While proving to be a competitive athlete, Keller also dedicated much time to working side jobs when the school day was over.
“I always worked; every hour out of school, I was working,” said Keller. “I had buddies that would all work jobs who would be like, ’Hey, we’re doing this job, do you want to come work on this site with us,’ and I would always say yes. Everyone knew me as the guy who loved working.”
Before graduating from Fieldcrest High School with the class of 2021, Keller decided to enlist in the Marine Corps delayed entry program alongside a few friends. While things began with an upward trend, Keller would soon meet some complications when he chose his preferred Military Occupational Specialty (MOS).
“In the sixth grade, I discovered I was colorblind during a class exercise,” said Keller. “So when choosing my MOS, I was limited to admin, food service, or infantry. I chose admin.”
After graduating from boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and completing Marine Combat Training in November 2021, Keller was selected to train to be an aviation operations specialist (7041). With a new vision for his career, Keller brought his hard-work ethic to his schoolhouse in Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi, graduating as a 7041 in March 2022.
“I was excited to arrive to the fleet as it was a big culture jump from the schoolhouse,” said Keller. “I live by treating others how you’d want to be treated, and when arriving, I was treated with a lot of respect regardless of just getting here. That really resonated with me.”
Since arriving to the fleet, Keller’s go-getter attitude has not gone unnoticed, from being a hard worker to a leader of Marines.
“I think right now, Keller is exceeding at acting as a Corporal should act as far as leadership in the office,” said Staff Sgt. Jeffery Harbourn, airfield chief with H&HS, MCAS New River. “When he first got here, he hit the ground running and has proven that whenever he is told to do something, he can always be counted on to get the job done.”
Today, Keller’s flown through his courses to earn qualifications entitling him to be an airfield operations supervisor, overseeing airfield operations on MCAS New River and training new Marines at his unit to be proficient in the 7041 job field.