Public Domain Picture: Tyler Marriott State Commander 2010-2011

Tyler Marriott, the Regional IT Security Manager in Regions 1 and 8, watched the beginnings of the Vietnam conflict on TV. He joined the Navy in 1968 with the philosophy, “They don't have boats!” He was sent to Aviation Electronics school – training that he says resulted in my future with the Service. Then, he volunteered for Vietnam and ended up on the air base in Da Nang, operating the communication station that linked the ground stations, like Da Nang, with the aircraft carriers. His team flew passengers/mail/cargo missions up and down the entire coast of South Vietnam. He flew 50 hours and became an “Aircrewman” and received his “Crew Wings.” After 450 Combat Hours he was awarded an “Air Medal.” During his year in Vietnam a Reader's Digest about a Forest Service Forester convinced him that he wanted to become a Wildlife Biologist. His counselor advised me against it, saying: 'You have been gone for four years. Rachael Carson stirred up the world when you left and now EVERYONE is a Biologist! You can become a biologist, but you WON’T have a job when you are done. They are all gone!' He graduated in 1977 with a 4-year degree in Natural Resources Management: Forestry Concentration, and a 2-year degree in Design Drafting. After several jobs in the natural resources field, Tyler took a job in 1996 with the Fish and Wildlife Service. He spent three years put to work on the “Y2K.” In 2001 I traveled to almost every Field Office in Region 1 to install Lotus Notes. In 2002, the Regional IT Security Manager and remembers the days before the Service even had an anti-virus program. He has been involved with the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) since 2002 and became the Post Commander in 2003, District Commander in 2005 then then finally State Commander 2010-2011.

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April 10, 2014