McGRAW, Gunnery Sgt. Brandon E. Age 32, Hampstead, North Carolina, formerly of Brookville, Ohio, passed away unexpectedly on December 13th, 2013. Brandon was a great man whose selfless acts of kindness and giving will never be forgotten. He was preceded in death by his Grandfather, Sergeant First Class, Howard W. McGraw, U.S. Army.
Brandon was a 2000 graduate of Brookville High School where he was the Captain of the Varsity Football team and on the Wrestling team. After graduating high school, Brandon enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where deployed in support of the Invasion of Iraq. Following his first 4 years in the Marine Corps, Brandon was accepted to Bowling Green State University, where he attended for 2 years. During his time at Bowling Green, Brandon met his wife and played on the BGSU Men's Rugby team. While enrolled at BGSU, Brandon chose to pursue his career in the United States Marine Corps, selflessly dedicating himself to the service of his country for the last 8 years. During his time in the Marine Corps, Gunnery Sergeant Brandon McGraw deployed four more times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. As a Marine, Brandon was loved and respected by his fellow Marines and took great pride in his work, joining the Corps' elite Marine Special Operations Command as a Critical Skills Operator. While in the Marine Corps, Brandon earned expert qualifications as a Military Free Fall (HALO) Parachutist, Marine Corps Combatant Diver, Breacher, and Scout Sniper. One of Brandon's favorite things was making people laugh. He'll always be remembered for the openly honest man he was with a smile on his face and a beer in his hand. Brandon was a huge football fan, cheering for the Cincinnati Bengals or The Ohio State Buckeyes. He enjoyed being with his friends and family, listening to music, and enjoying the simple things in life. Brandon will be forever missed but never forgotten. A Celebration of Brandon's life will be held at 12:00 PM on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013 at the Brookville High School Gymnasium, 1 Blue Pride Drive, Brookville, Ohio 45309. The family will receive friends at the high school from 3:00-7:00PM Friday evening and also from 11:00AM Saturday until the start of the service. Interment with full Military Honors will follow the service at Arlington Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Brookville Schools Athletic Dept., The Wounded Warriors Project or The Brothers In Arms Foundation in memory of Brandon.
