Continuing the Mission: A Marine's Journey of Service and Leadership

As a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, defense industry professional, and military mom, Tracy Anderson has always known what it means to serve. But when her son, now a Marine himself, was deployed to a war zone in Afghanistan, she found herself facing a new challenge and new worries.

Her son was having trouble finding basic supplies like socks and batteries for his night vision gear—leaving him without the essentials he needed. Frustrated by the lack of available resources, Tracey was sharing her son's situation with a friend. Moved by her story, the friend connected Tracey with ADS, opening the door to a new opportunity.

"I had left the defense industry years before and was working for an eye doctor," Tracey explained. "But I really liked the idea of being able to help military service members, like my son, get the equipment they need when they need it."

Today, as an Inside Account Manager for the Navy/Marine Corps team, she's living her new mission: ensuring the military has the critical gear and equipment to succeed.

As the U.S. Marine Corps celebrates its 249th birthday, Tracy reflects with pride on her military career—one that instilled in her the character, integrity, and leadership that continue to guide her every day.

"Being a Marine is a love, an automatic bond with people that you have forever," she said. "If you walk into a room with Marines, you don't know a stranger. Joining the Marine Corps was the best decision I ever made."

That decision came not long after graduating high school in Maine, where military service ran deep in her family. Her father was a Seabee, one of her uncles served in the Navy, one uncle in the Air Force, and an aunt was an Army veteran. She also worked as a nanny for a Marine Corps recruiter's family. When that Marine Corps recruiter learned that she was considering a career with the Navy, he insisted she give the Marines a shot. 

Though intimidated by the physical challenges of joining the Marine Corps, Tracy listened to the Marine Corps recruiter's words: "I'm not going to set you up for failure." He was right.

Tracy went on to serve for a decade, with her most rewarding year spent as an adjutant to her Commanding Officer in Okinawa, Japan. There, she worked alongside some of the Marine Corps' most influential women leaders—women who showed her the power of perseverance and leadership in a male-dominated field. She draws on these lessons every day as she mentors and supports the next generation of women working in the defense industry.

As a proud mother, Tracy is also inspired by the leadership and service exemplified by her daughter, Courtney. Courtney is a team leader for the Air Force team with ADS, where she carries forward the same values of dedication and leadership that her mother embodies.

For Tracy, working at ADS isn't just a job—it's a mission.

"It's always rewarding to see how the people at ADS put warfighters before themselves, going above and beyond to make sure they come home safe," Tracy said. "As a mother, it feels very different. Being part of ADS gives me energy, knowing that a mom somewhere doesn't have to worry about her son or daughter getting what they need. I'm very proud to be here."

On the 249th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps, we celebrate the legacy of those who serve and honor the continued dedication of veterans like Tracy who continue to support the mission and the service members who carry it out.