In this Veteran Spotlight, allow us to introduce Joseph Couret, a Marine Corps Veteran who served from 1992 to 2012. Following the disastrous Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Sharp Decisions deployed Joe and a platoon of other veterans to help the recovery efforts for a FEMA contractor.
Let’s learn more about Joe…
Joseph Couret served for 20 years in the Marine Corps, having been deployed all over the world from Somalia to Okinawa to Iraq and more, Joe served selflessly to defend our freedoms. Back in the early 90s, Joe thought about joining the Navy but after speaking with his brother’s Marine Corps recruiter, he found that he was more interested in the Marine Corps. He enlisted in 1991 and left for training the next year.
After training, Joe served as an infantryman in MOS 0311 for four years. He then went on to work in supply and logistics where he would finish his career path. Joe learned to ship equipment overseas and made sure the equipment arrived at the right locations, at the right time, for military use. It’s definitely something that I got a knack for, which I enjoyed doing because I like being useful.
Building upon the valuable experience earned over his military career, Joe was able to transfer his skills during his deployments with Sharp Decisions in 2017 and 2021.
Following the destruction from Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Maria in 2017, Sharp Decisions reached out to Joe and several other veterans to assist FEMA as logistics personnel. With these two devastating hurricanes, FEMA was overwhelmed and needed the help of skilled, ready-to-work experts that could hit the ground running.
Joe said, “I told Sharp Decisions I’d give them a call back in 20 minutes. I spoke to my wife… and I called back in 15 minutes.” He was in. As a veteran of the Marine Corps who was deployed into combat zones, Joe was ready and willing to assist the FEMA mission knowing the military had prepared him to face tough situations without regular communications.
Because personnel were needed right away, Joe needed to be deployed immediately. While normally Sharp Decisions provides a six-week training, there wasn’t time. Action was needed as soon as possible.
Joe and his platoon spent a few days in Dallas for WSP Inspection Services training, but after his project manager noticed how efficient they were working, they were sent right away to Puerto Rico to begin their work there. And to show just how efficient veterans are when working together, he said of his team of four, “We clicked immediately and throughout the deployment we were together.” Even without the training, this platoon bonded quickly over their shared service.
Joe and his platoon spent about two months working 12-hour days for WSP Inspection Services, which provides inspection services for FEMA when a disaster has been declared. They then inspect homeowners’ property, assess damage, and submit reports to FEMA to begin the recovery effort.
Joe says of this time, he “Really enjoyed the work, met some good people with WSP Inspection Services, and actually kept in touch with a few of them.”
More recently, Joe was in Virginia and Texas assisting FEMA with back-office security tasks.
At Sharp Decisions, we know and trust that our Vets are dependable to get the job done whether in the office or deploying to disaster zones. Joe used his experience gained through his career in the military to hit the ground running, which is just one of the many reliable assets we find in our veterans that work for us.
Joseph Couret served in the Marine Corps for 20 years. He retired as a Gunnery Sergeant E-7 in the Supply Field in 2012.
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