SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - Spc. Branden Eddy, a military police officer with the 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, knew early in life that he wanted to serve and protect.
“I knew at a young age I wanted to be in law enforcement,” said Eddy. “Me and my siblings struggled when we were young with multiple issues and I knew when I grew up, I wanted to be a part of the change I wanted to see in the world.”
Eddy started his life of service early, volunteering as a youth soccer referee at the age of 12, spending his summers as a lifeguard, and joining the local fire department’s explorer program in high school.
“His internal drive to help others and genuine care and concern for others, and honesty are at the fabric of who Branden is,” said Erin Eddy, Branden’s mother. “His grandfathers also served in the military during Vietnam, and he enjoyed learning about their experiences. Branden has great pride in them and now serving himself.”
After graduating high school, Eddy earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Nevada, Reno.
“I was torn between a life of service or mechanical engineering,” said Eddy. “I love to build things, but in college, I realized math is not my thing, so I decided to focus on criminal justice. I loved seeing how laws fell into place, learning how the intent behind the laws were meant to preserve life not destroy it.”
With his criminal justice degree in hand and unable to attain sponsorship into a local police academy, Eddy began to see military recruiters.
“My best friend joined the Air Force and so I went to see them, but they said I was too color blind,” said Eddy. “The Army recruiter told me they had a waiver for that and so I enlisted as a 31B and started my law enforcement career.”
Entering the Army as a specialist, because of his college degree, Eddy was immediately asked to perform beyond his rank and did so flawlessly.
“I assumed he came from a prior duty assignment, with at least a couple years of military experience under his belt,” said 2nd Lt. Julia Rodriguez, platoon leader, 58th Military Police Company. “He was assigned a class to instruct and said, 'yes ma’am I will go through the class validation process and teach the class.' He ended up instructing the entire company, and it was amazing to see him put himself out there and successfully instruct a class far beyond his time in service peers.”
His drive towards excellence stems not only from an intrinsic desire to be the best he can, but also from everyday interactions with people around him.
“Helping people is the best part of my job,” said Eddy. “I love making people smile; you never know who’s having a bad day. I understand the stigmas with law enforcement. I know many people may not like us, but those interactions where I can bring out a smile or laugh from someone really impacts my day.”
Eddy’s current assignment offers him the ability to provide many people with their first smile prior to entering military bases here in Hawaii.
“When he is working the access control points, that’s a lot of people's first interactions with a Soldier,” said Sgt. 1st Class Michael D’Andrea, platoon sergeant, 58th Military Police Company. “This can be a thankless job. When you’re interacting with the public, you sometimes see people on their worst days, and we’re trying to enforce rules, regulations, and laws during that moment. So, his willingness to want to be an MP, to want to serve and to do it all with a positive attitude is paramount.”
Eddy’s attitude while interacting with people and his willingness to take on challenging assignments has been noticed by everyone throughout his unit.
“Spc. Eddy has become an outstanding military police officer,” said Spc. Nathaniel Taylor, first-line supervisor, military police officer. “He always seeks the right answer in times of doubt and continues to make disciplined decisions on the road.”
Although Eddy looks forward to finishing his initial enlistment and returning to Colorado to pursue a police career back home, his family isn’t surprised he made the detour to join the Army.
“We were not surprised by Branden’s choice to join the military,” said Erin. “As a little boy, he wore camo, utility belts, etc., and would play Army. For presents, he requested documentaries and books about different wars and was inspired by the veterans around him growing up.”
Eddy’s time in the Army has been brief, but his growth is seen throughout his family, friends, and fellow service members.
“Branden has become more independent, responsible, and confident,” added Erin, who closed our interview with a message to her son. “Your family is proud of you and so is your country.”
Social Sharing