MESA, ARIZONA: Mesa police sergeant Marcus Brown, 38, was inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame in October for his services to military veterans.
A Gilbert, Arizona resident, Brown created the non-profit Veterans 5-9 to provide 24/7 help to fellow military veterans.
The sergeant aims to bridge the gap and help veterans after the 5 o'clock hour/weekend when the usual resources are mostly closed.
He has been honored along with 18 others who served their community after leaving military service.
Who is Marcus Brown?
At the age of 19 in 2004, Brown enlisted in the US Marine Corps. Besides being a combatant in Iraq, he became a social worker helping people who lacked basic necessities.
"I just looked at what was happening with 9/11 and felt like I could contribute," the sergeant said. "I was young, able and a willing body and America needed to be protected." He was deployed twice to Iraq, first for Operation Iraqi Freedom and then the Operation Enduring Freedom.
After earning the corporal rank, he left the Marines in 2008, and in 2015, he joined the Meso Police Department.
Marcus Brown's life in Iraq led him to social service
His life as a marine in the Middle East gave him a fresh perspective on life.
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again-- we have no idea how good we have it in America. I literally kissed the ground when I came home to the United States," said Brown in an interview with 12 News.
He decided to continue the social work by helping military veterans who needed immediate help during non-business hours. The Veterans 5-9 formed in February 2020 "provide food, lodging transportation and mental health resources in an emergency."
"You're talking about somebody going through an eviction, and it may be a Sunday afternoon," the ex-Marine said and added "If I can stop the emergency, stop the crisis, get them thinking in the right way, and then link them up with long term resources, then we solve the problem completely."
The organization has helped more than 560 veterans to date and functions with donations from the public.
