Staff Sergeant Brandon Thone is a twice deployed infantryman and combat veteran recently returned home from Syria who shares what it’s like to be a new leader thrust into combat, Lessons Learned, and how he developed his leadership style. Through his 10 years in the Army National Guard he has been activated 3 times, twice for civil unrest and again during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has been awarded the MO Commendation medal 4 times, The Army Achievement Medal twice, an Army Commendation medal with “C” Device, and the Combat Infantry Badge