Zachary Bell

Zachary Bell, served four years in the United States Marine Corps as an infantry rifleman, the primary infantry position, with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment based in Camp Lejeune, N.C. from 2007-2011, and joined Boot Campaign as a Veteran Ambassador in 2015. A native of west Tenn., Sgt. Bell deployed twice to Helmand Province, Afghanistan during his military career, including assignments in Garmsir, from March to July 2008, and Marja, from December 2009 to July 2010, as this part of Operation Enduring Freedom. He planned, coordinated and executed over 400 counter-insurgency operations within area of operations over the course of his two seven-month deployments in Afghanistan. He also planned, organized and supervised preparation and execution of unit movement and operations with Afghan military, NATO multinational military forces, DOD and other commercial agencies. Zachary received a battlefield promotion to corporal for meritorious service and held the billet of infantry squad leader. After he departed active duty in Feb. 2011 he received the rank of sergeant. After leaving the military, Zachary first began pursuing a college degree at Middle Tennessee State University, and in the fall of 2014 earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn. He also recently completed work on his master’s in business administration at Lipscomb, receiving his MBA in May 2016. Seeking creative outlets for his military experiences, he has contributed articles to both The New York Times, for its “At War: Notes from the Front Lines” blog, and the Huffington Post. He currently lives in Nashville where he engages the local community to foster awareness about military issues and the services offered by The Boot Campaign. Zachary’s free time is spent with his wife, and two children.