Sgt. Matthew Callahan enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in July 2009 as an infantry Marine and made a lateral move to the Public Affairs career field in 2013.
After completing Marine Corps Recruit Training in October 2009 and School of Infantry in January 2010, Callahan was assigned to serve as an assault man with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay in January 2010. In December 2010, Callahan sustained an injury while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and was reassigned as an outpatient to Wounded Warrior Battalion West – Detachment Hawaii, MCBH Kaneohe Bay from January 2011 to January 2012. Callahan was found fit for full duty February 2012 and was assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, MCBH, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii from February 2012 to June 2013, serving as a squad leader.
In July 2013, Callahan cross-trained from the infantry to public affairs and was assigned to the MCBH Public Affairs office, serving as a combat correspondent from July 2013 to October 2014. During that time, he attained his public affairs MOS and also became a broadcaster through the Defense Information School in Fort Meade, Maryland. His next assignment was content production chief with Marine Corps Installations Pacific, Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, Okinawa, Japan from December 2014 to July 2015. In April, 2015, Callahan was accepted into the DoD AVI program where he served as a student at Newhouse School of Public Communication, Syracuse University, New York from Sept. 2015 to May 2016 . Upon completion of The DoD AVI program, Sgt. Callahan made a PCS to II Marine Expeditionary Force in July, 2016. Once there, we was assigned temporary assigned duty to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and deployed to USCENTCOM from March to October 2017. While on deployment, Callahan supported Operation Inherent Resolve in Syria.
Callahan now serves as a team chief with II Marine Information Group Communications Strategy & Operations on Camp Lejeune.
Callahan’s education includes the School of Infantry, basic rifleman and infantry assault man course, Defense Information School for the Basic Public Affairs Specialist Course, the Basic Combat Correspondent Course, and DINFOS’ Advanced Visual Information Course for motion Media at Newhouse School of Public Communication Syracuse University, New York.
His personal awards include the Good Conduct Medal with bronze star in lieu of second award, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medal, and the Navy Commendation Medal.