Mat Mahon always knew that he wanted to be a police officer.  After graduating from Philo High School in 2004, he worked in construction and then entered the Ohio Peace Officer’s Training Academy at Zane State College in Zanesville in 2005.  Upon completing his training, Mat found it difficult to find a job within a police department and began to think about alternate career paths.  The military had always interested him, particularly the United States Marine Corps.  “The Marine Corps is known as one of the most formidable military forces in the world and has a reputation for excellence.  I knew I wanted to be a part of that,” Mat said.

He enlisted in the Marine Corps and began basic training in 2008.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, an infantry battalion based out of Hawaii.  From November 2009 to June 2010, Mat’s unit was deployed to Afghanistan, within the district of Nawa-I-Barakzayi, Helmand Province.  “We were there to engage with the people in the local communities and gather intelligence,” Mat said.  “Although we did not see a lot of combat, three of my fellow Marines, Lance Corporals Jacob Meinert, Timothy Poole and Noah Pier, were killed by an improvised explosive device.”

Following his deployment to Afghanistan, Mat decided to take a different path in his military career.  He entered the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group (MCESG) training program at Quantico, Virginia, to become a Marine Security Guard (MSG).  As a MSG, Matt was responsible for protecting mission personnel and preventing the compromise of national security information and equipment at designated diplomatic and consular facilities.  He committed to a three-year deployment, spending 12 months at the United States Embassies in The Hague, Netherlands, Lusaka, Zambia, and Frankfurt, Germany.  “After experiencing the combat side of the military, it was very interesting to be involved in the diplomatic side of government,” Mat said. 

Mat completed his service with the Marine Corps in 2014, and he incorporated the qualities and values he learned from the Marine Corps into his personal and professional life.  In 2018, Mat joined the Licking Memorial Police Department.  The Marine Corps values of honor, courage and commitment helped him to be an effective leader and police officer.  “My job is not only to protect the people and property within the Hospital, but I also must be ready and able to provide support during a crisis,” Mat explained.  “My military training and combat experience have taught me to be prepared and able to perform under stress in any type of emergency.” 

Mat’s leadership skills also have allowed him to better serve his community.  He launched his own home inspection business and uses his vast construction knowledge and attention to detail to perform a thorough inspection for each client.  Mat holds his work to the highest standards of excellence and treats every person he encounters with dignity and respect.