Memorial Day Honoree, Iain McGregor

Every Memorial Day, Cascade American Legion Post 133 & the Auxiliary takes the time to honor the military service of a local community member. This year’s honoree is Mr. Iain McGregor.

Iain was born and raised in Ruby Valley, between Sheridan and Twin Bridges, Montana. He was involved with ranching throughout his early years while attending school in Twin Bridges. Later in high school, Iain moved with his family to Clarksburg, California, a small farming community in northern California. Ian proceeded to graduate high school from Clarksburg High School in 1990.

Upon graduation from high school, Operation Desert Storm was underway, and Iain felt a strong sense of duty to serve in the United States military, as Iain comes from a family with a passionate propensity to serve in the military as his Great Grandfather was in the Army in World War I, a Grandmother was a nurse and Grandfather a bomber pilot during World War II. Iain’s father was an Army officer in the Vietnam War, and both brothers have served with one graduating the US Naval Academy, recently retiring as Navy Captain with his other brother being a member of the Army National Guard. Thus, Iain’s devotion to duty and country led to him enlisting in the United States Marine Corps as a member of the Marine Corps Reserves, Bravo Company, Force Reconnaissance in Billings, MT. Iain entered Marine Corps Boot Camp in February 1991. Once Iain completed Marine Corps Boot Camp, he attended Basic Rifleman School and then successfully completed Basic Reconnaissance School at Fort Story, Virginia. While Iain is extremely humble and would never brag about it, graduating marine recon school was and remains one heck of an accomplishment that few Marines ever obtain. Basic Marine Recon School has a washout rate exceeding 50%. Currently, only, less than 1% of the entire Marine Corps is comprised of trained recon personnel.

Iain’s Marine Corps unit, Bravo Company, 4th Marine Division, specialized in Mountain and Cold Weather warfare. Iain served six years with the Marine Corps attending training and operations throughout the country, honing cold weather and mountain warfare operational tactics, techniques, and procedures. Iain served six years in the Marine Corps, as he decided to move on and pursue higher education.

From 1996 to 2000, Iain attended Montana State University, Bozeman, graduating with a degree in Agricultural Operations Technology.

Iain utilized the remarkably high level of training he received with the Marine Corps to volunteer as a Gallatin Valley Sheriff Posse search and rescue team member. Iain volunteered for 10 years conducting white water, avalanche, and mountainous search and rescue operations. During this ten-year period, Iain became a team Captain leading hundreds of search and rescue operations.

Upon graduating college, Iain continued his professional career in agriculture, working as a pharmaceutical representative for Pfizer, managing cattle operations for Bill Rumney on the Blackfeet Reservation, Walden’s in the Millegan area, and running cattle for Farrah’s uncle in Chinook. Ultimately, in 2008 Iain and Farrah along with their two sons Hal, and Rial, settled in the Cascade community where Iain continues his devotion to others by serving the local community as a Cascade School Board member, and as an active participant and organizer in community enhancement programs, the Friends of the Black & Gold, and Speed-C. Providing invaluable fundraising to youth activities and encouraging Esprit de corps within the community.

Finally, having the pleasure to talk with Iain about his life history and military service, I could immediately tell that Iain may have moved on from military service, but his love and pride of our great country still runs very deep in his heart. He definitely exudes the Marine Corps spirit of once a Marine, always a Marine!

Thank you and congratulations Mr. Iain McGregor.