--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: During my 20 years as a Marine, I served…" description: "\"During my 20 years as a Marine, I served three combat tours and as a Congressional Fellow advising a senior member of the House Armed Services Committe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e7/amy-mcgrath-6116_armed-services_during-my-20-years-as-a-marine-i-served_2945737.jpg" --- # During my 20 years as a Marine, I served three combat… ![“During my 20 years as a Marine, I served three combat tours and as a Congressional Fellow advising a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee on defense and foreign policy. I went on to serve in the Pentagon as Marine Corps' liaison to the State Department.” quote by Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e7/amy-mcgrath-6116_armed-services_during-my-20-years-as-a-marine-i-served_2945737.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e7/amy-mcgrath-6116_armed-services_during-my-20-years-as-a-marine-i-served_2945737.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e7/amy-mcgrath-6116_armed-services_during-my-20-years-as-a-marine-i-served_2945737.jpg) > “During my 20 years as a Marine, I served three combat tours and as a Congressional Fellow advising a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee on defense and foreign policy. I went on to serve in the Pentagon as Marine Corps' liaison to the State Department.” [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She describes a career spanning combat, legislative advising, and diplomatic liaison work. **In simple terms:** She served in combat and government roles. Key Takeaway Leverage diverse experience. Themes service leadership defense Mood determined proud Type narrative motivational When to use this quote - election campaigns - policy development - public speaking - defense consulting Key Concepts military strategy political advisory Questions to Reflect On - How does combat experience inform policy decisions? - What skills transfer to civilian leadership? A Different Perspective Transition challenges from military to politics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Armed services](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armed-services/) [Combat Tours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/combat-tours-3819357/) [Foreign policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-policy/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Marine Corp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marine-corp/) [Marine corps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marine-corps/) [Marine Served](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marine-served-3731234/) [Pentagon Marine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pentagon-marine-4414018/) [Served Combat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/served-combat-2305108/) [Tours Congressional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tours-congressional-4414017/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [ \[ General James Mattis\] is a Marine's Marine who has served in combat in both Afghanistan and Iraq. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-is-a-marine-s-marine-who-has-served-in-combat-in/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [“Otherwise, it would have been much easier to just shoot you and be done with it.” I disagreed. The fact that I was still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-bach/otherwise-it-would-have-been-much-easier-to-just-shoot-you-and-be/) [Rachel Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-bach/) > [As a Green Beret who served in combat while deployed in Afghanistan, I know what it's like to command a unit comprised of different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/as-a-green-beret-who-served-in-combat-while-deployed-in-afghanistan-i/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“Honor is served only by combat that elevates the spirit. Correct choices—of whom we fight, and why, and how we live—are paving stones. Taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-r-a-decandido/honor-is-served-only-by-combat-that-elevates-the-spirit-correct/) [Keith R.A. DeCandido](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-r-a-decandido/) > [For those who have served in combat, life is never the same. It puts the most stressful civilian situations into a whole different context.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-wilcox/for-those-who-have-served-in-combat-life-is-never-the-same-it-puts/) [Todd Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-wilcox/) > [As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a retired Flag Officer, I understand how critical it is to keep the military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/as-a-member-of-the-house-armed-services-committee-and-a-retired-flag/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [There shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/there-shall-be-equality-of-treatment-and-opportunity-for-all-persons/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [When Hillary served in the Senate, I saw her work day and night as a member of the Armed Services Committee - working with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/when-hillary-served-in-the-senate-i-saw-her-work-day-and-night-as-a/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [As the Pentagon makes plans for the largest troop rotation since World War II, I will work with the Armed Services Committee to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-rogers/as-the-pentagon-makes-plans-for-the-largest-troop-rotation-since/) [Mike Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-rogers/) > [I have a lot of experience dealing with classified material, starting when I was on the Senate Armed Services Committee going into the four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-a-lot-of-experience-dealing-with-classified-material-starting/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [On the whole our armed services have been doing pretty well in the way of keeping us defended, but I hope our State Department…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/on-the-whole-our-armed-services-have-been-doing-pretty-well-in-the/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [The House Armed Services Committee is critically important not only to America's security and future, but also to the people of Texas' 13th Congressional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/the-house-armed-services-committee-is-critically-important-not-only/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [“Truman knew that government employees deserved fair procedures and asserted that his loyalty program would provide them. But he nonetheless expanded an already flawed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/truman-knew-that-government-employees-deserved-fair-procedures-and/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [There's a statement from several members of the Senate, both Democrats and Republicans, including the Democratic leader, Charles Schumer; John McCain, the chair of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephanopoulos/there-s-a-statement-from-several-members-of-the-senate-both-democrats/) [George Stephanopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephanopoulos/) > [Certainly in the United States, you have a constituency in the form of the weapons laboratories, and you also have the branches of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/certainly-in-the-united-states-you-have-a-constituency-in-the-form-of/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) ## More by Amy McGrath > [You can't drain the swamp, as President Trump has touted doing, without getting rid of Mitch McConnell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/you-can-t-drain-the-swamp-as-president-trump-has-touted-doing-without/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [The selflessness and service of the veterans I have met and served with are the living embodiment of what America and American values mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/the-selflessness-and-service-of-the-veterans-i-have-met-and-served/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I will give everyday Kentuckians a voice in Washington - not just special interests or the wealthiest 1%.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/i-will-give-everyday-kentuckians-a-voice-in-washington-not-just/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [We'd never be talking about Senator McGrath saying anything about state and local governments should be going bankrupt. I'd never even think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/we-d-never-be-talking-about-senator-mcgrath-saying-anything-about/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [Growing up in northern Kentucky, honesty, integrity and character were revered traits, and - with my family - I looked to the greatest generation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty-integrity-and-character-were/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [We deserve better than a win-at-all-costs mentality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/we-deserve-better-than-a-win-at-all-costs-mentality/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I'm not going to apologize for serving my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/i-m-not-going-to-apologize-for-serving-my-country/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [If we were to build a health care system from scratch, single-payer would be the way to go. But we have a very complex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/if-we-were-to-build-a-health-care-system-from-scratch-single-payer/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I'm not somebody who seeks attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/i-m-not-somebody-who-seeks-attention/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [Folks don't always win the first time they run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/folks-don-t-always-win-the-first-time-they-run/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I left home at 18, but I still voted in Kentucky. Every holiday, I came home to Kentucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/i-left-home-at-18-but-i-still-voted-in-kentucky-every-holiday-i-came/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [With regard to the more moderates, I have spent 20 years as a United States Marine. I'm a little more realistic when it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/with-regard-to-the-more-moderates-i-have-spent-20-years-as-a-united/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [Senator McConnell has always won in the past because he's had a bigger blow horn. He's always had tens of millions of dollars more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/senator-mcconnell-has-always-won-in-the-past-because-he-s-had-a/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [We need a new generation of leaders who can put their country over their political party to do what's right for Kentucky and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/we-need-a-new-generation-of-leaders-who-can-put-their-country-over/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [Part of that problem is women don't run. We don't run for office. It's not that people are overwhelmingly voting against us. We just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/part-of-that-problem-is-women-don-t-run-we-don-t-run-for-office-it-s/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) [Explore all 100 Amy McGrath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) ## More Armed services quotes > [Certainly in the United States, you have a constituency in the form of the weapons laboratories, and you also have the branches of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/certainly-in-the-united-states-you-have-a-constituency-in-the-form-of/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [There's a statement from several members of the Senate, both Democrats and Republicans, including the Democratic leader, Charles Schumer; John McCain, the chair of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephanopoulos/there-s-a-statement-from-several-members-of-the-senate-both-democrats/) [George Stephanopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephanopoulos/) > [“Truman knew that government employees deserved fair procedures and asserted that his loyalty program would provide them. But he nonetheless expanded an already flawed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/truman-knew-that-government-employees-deserved-fair-procedures-and/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [The House Armed Services Committee is critically important not only to America's security and future, but also to the people of Texas' 13th Congressional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/the-house-armed-services-committee-is-critically-important-not-only/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [On the whole our armed services have been doing pretty well in the way of keeping us defended, but I hope our State Department…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/on-the-whole-our-armed-services-have-been-doing-pretty-well-in-the/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [I have a lot of experience dealing with classified material, starting when I was on the Senate Armed Services Committee going into the four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-a-lot-of-experience-dealing-with-classified-material-starting/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [As the Pentagon makes plans for the largest troop rotation since World War II, I will work with the Armed Services Committee to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-rogers/as-the-pentagon-makes-plans-for-the-largest-troop-rotation-since/) [Mike Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-rogers/) > [When Hillary served in the Senate, I saw her work day and night as a member of the Armed Services Committee - working with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/when-hillary-served-in-the-senate-i-saw-her-work-day-and-night-as-a/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [There shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/there-shall-be-equality-of-treatment-and-opportunity-for-all-persons/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a retired Flag Officer, I understand how critical it is to keep the military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/as-a-member-of-the-house-armed-services-committee-and-a-retired-flag/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [“In fact, the Nazis did not have a euthanasia program, in the proper sense of the word. Their so-called euthanasia program was not motivated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/in-fact-the-nazis-did-not-have-a-euthanasia-program-in-the-proper/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Memorial Day this year is especially important as we are reminded almost daily of the great sacrifices that the men and women of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hayes/memorial-day-this-year-is-especially-important-as-we-are-reminded/) [Robin Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hayes/) > [I was a member of the Armed Services Committee for 18 years. I spent a big chunk of my life studying national security issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-a-member-of-the-armed-services-committee-for-18-years-i-spent-a/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [With pride and honor, we salute our armed services Veterans. Happy Veterans Day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-pride-and-honor-we-salute-our-armed-services-veterans-happy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Congressional Joint Strike Fighter Caucus, I have been a staunch supporter of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-veasey/as-a-member-of-the-house-armed-services-committee-and-the/) [Marc Veasey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-veasey/) [Browse all 60 Armed services quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armed-services/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "During my 20 years as a Marine, I served three combat tours and as a Congressional Fellow advising a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee on defense and foreign policy. I went on to serve in the Pentagon as Marine Corps' liaison to the State Department.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Amy McGrath" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/during-my-20-years-as-a-marine-i-served-three-combat-tours-and-as-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Armed services" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/during-my-20-years-as-a-marine-i-served-three-combat-tours-and-as-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e7/amy-mcgrath-6116_armed-services_during-my-20-years-as-a-marine-i-served_2945737.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e7/amy-mcgrath-6116_armed-services_during-my-20-years-as-a-marine-i-served_2945737.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e7/amy-mcgrath-6116_armed-services_during-my-20-years-as-a-marine-i-served_2945737.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“During my 20 years as a Marine, I served three combat tours and as a Congressional Fellow advising a senior…” — Amy McGrath", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Amy McGrath", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "During my 20 years as a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/during-my-20-years-as-a-marine-i-served-three-combat-tours-and-as-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/during-my-20-years-as-a-marine-i-served-three-combat-tours-and-as-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```