Spc. Corey Maxwell is no stranger to hard work. At age 14, the Orange County, Calif., native obtained a work permit from his high school so he could serve as a dishwasher at a local restaurant.
"It took me about six months to learn every station in the kitchen, on top of doing my normal duties," Maxwell said.
Having been the primary cook for his Family since a young age, Maxwell told his executive chef he wanted to move up in the kitchen.
"I knew it was a passion and something I wanted to do," he said.
The chef started Maxwell in the pantry making salads and desserts, then on to pizzas before being moved up to the main line, cooking pastas and other entrees. Maxwell was made the restaurant's lead cook while he was still in high school.
"My goal from childhood was to always be better than the other guy," he said, adding he regularly competed with his younger brother when growing up. "Whether it be weekly chores or spring cleaning, I always had to be the best."
He said that's followed him to the kitchen and beyond.
"I always try to be as close to the best as possible," he said. "Granted there are a lot of talented and hard-working people, but I just always wanted to be right there above it."
Maxwell's drive to be the best served him well in the culinary world. The chef has worked in several kitchens across the country and has even opened restaurants both for others and himself.
That same drive finally led Maxwell to the United States Army and the 1st Infantry Division. He was looking for a change of pace and, looking to the example several of his Family members set, enlisted in 2010.
"I had an opportunity to step away from work, and kind of be a little boy again," said Maxwell, who is assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 701st Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div. "I got to put on the uniform and got to go do obstacle courses and go to the range and shoot guns and deploy.
"I serve because genuinely I like being a Soldier," Maxwell said. "I like being a part of America's military."
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