Specialist Brianna Occhino

Inspired by her father and grandfather’s passion for serving the red, white and blue, SPC Specialist Brianna Occhino joined the United States Army National Guard after graduating from the University of Minnesota. She went to boot camp in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and came back to the 257th MP Company in Monticello (Minnesota’s Elite) and has never regretted her decision to become part of the National Guard “family.” SPC Occhino remarked, “The soldiers that I serve with are now my brothers and sisters.” She is currently deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, where she’s in the thick of training and assisting the Afghan National Army. She said, “I love my job here and I love that I was sent with the same people I have trained with for the last five years.” She plans to re-sign when her contract is up so she can continue to serve her country with her military family. SPC Occhino received a $500 grant from MMAF.