Victor Brewer says his life motto is, “If you’re not signing a waiver because you might die, then you’re not living.” His last 30 years show that he takes that seriously.
Vic joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1987, and his 20-year career took him all over the world. He attended Boot Camp in San Diego, California and Engineer School at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. It’s here that he became an Engineer Equipment Chief, responsible for earthwork related construction such as building runways, helicopter landing pads, and more.
His path eventually brought him to work directly for Headquarters Marine Corps in Arlington, Virginia where he helped manage 4,500 Marines and Duty Station assignments all over the world. Vic worked directly with the Pentagon and Victor Unit commanders to support the infantry units with engineers. Here, also completed assignments with HMX-1, or Marine Helicopter Squadron One, which is the squadron responsible for the transportation of the President of the United States, Vice President, Heads of States, Department of Defense officials, and other VIPs.
He rounded out his career by serving as a Drill Instructor for three years at Parris Island, South Carolina, and then as the Engineer Equipment Chief of the Engineer School at Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri. There, he oversaw 23 instructors who trained Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard service members how to run heavy equipment. He also served as Lead Instructor for Project Management and Project Estimations for senior staff and Warrant Officers, and was a team member of the Marine Corps rifle team as a Rifle Expert and Pistol Expert Marksman.
Vic fully retired on July, 31 2008, and his twenty years in the Marine Corps had taken him outside the U.S. as well. He spent seven months in Anbar Province, Iraq leading 105 Marines on a seven-month tour. He was also stationed in Okinawa, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and Germany.
Vic became a Watco Team Member on Feb. 24, 2017 when Watco acquired the St. Louis-Gateway Terminal from Kinder Morgan. He became the terminal manager there two years ago, and prior to that, Vic was the training manager six years. He oversaw training for 32 different terminals in seven states.
When he’s not working, Vic’s living life in the fast lane. He owns two drag racing cars; a 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass and a 1978 Chevy Malibu, and two street cars; a 1966 Chevy II Nova and a 1965 Dodge Coronet. He also flies planes and recently completed training to be a private pilot. Vic also jumps out of planes sometimes because he enjoys skydiving, as well as hiking, snow skiing, and riding motorcycles. He is married, has five boys between the ages of 21 and 32, two granddaughters, and one grandson.