Chad Drake came to Chowan in the Fall of 1990 after an outstanding scholastic football career at nearby Hertford County High School in Ahoskie, North Carolina. Then-Head Coach Jim Garrison saw a star in the making, a young player and helped to develop him into a formidable offensive lineman over his two-year career for the then-Braves.
In his freshman season, Drake excelled in the classroom while experiencing a steady season for Chowan on the gridiron as a special teams player. Drake plugged away day after day at practice before getting his shot at the end of his freshman year. After suffering a serious shoulder injury, Drake’s drive to succeed on the field could not be ignored. In Spring season practices later in his freshman year, Drake got his shot to impress the not-so-easy-to-impress ball coach in Garrison. Drake started in the Spring Blue and White game at offensive line and grinded out a head turning expose’ that caused Garrison to exclaim, “If we had 11 Chad Drakes, we would be National Champions!”
Drake’s grit and grind earned him a starting position at right guard the next year, playing so well that he was able to be recruited by Jim Sypolt at Methodist University in his sophomore year. Drake left Chowan in 1992 as an esteemed student-athlete with both academic and athletic accolades. He rose to the challenges presented at Methodist in the same way he did while at Chowan, with excellence, determination, and grit. He started two years on the offensive line at Methodist and helped to turn a stalwarted program into a regionally respected program in his short time. He graduated with honors from Methodist University with a Biology Degree in 1994.
While Drake experienced a litany of successes during his scholastic and college careers, it is his post-collegiate journey that fills the most space on his professional resume. Drake joined the United States Marine Corp in 1994 and was Commissioned as an Officer following completion of Officer Candidate School (OSC) where he finished in the top third of his class (1995) at The Basic School. In 1996 he was selected as an Infantry Officer.
There is little doubt his many athletic experiences, self-determination, and grit helped him to a decorated and diverse 24 year career in the USMC. From 1996-1998 Drake served with the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Regiment where he served as the Rifle Platoon Commander, Weapons Platoon Commander, and Company Executive Officer. He aided in conducting the largest non-combat evacuation in Freetown, Sierra Leonne-which saw 3,500 American citizens safely evacuated.
Two years later his command took him to serve as Platoon Commander and contingency support to the National Capital Region. He served as the Guard Officer to Camp David under the Clinton and Bush presidencies and was the Guard Officer for the Middle East Peace Summit at Camp David in 2000. He received the esteemed Presidential Service Badge as a result of his dutiful service during this stint in the USMC.
Drake served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from 2000-2003 before being selected to attend the Joint Forces Staff College, where he would eventually receive a Master’s Degree in Military Studies. Later he served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, as the Battalion Executive Officer of the 1st Battalion, 6th Marines. Drake earned a Bronze Star for his service in Iraq.
Drake’s career saw him earn a second Bronze Star for his service in Afghanistan as the Commanding Officer of the 6th Marine Regiment. Drake’s esteemed Military Career achievements are far too many to list in order to due appropriate justice. In 2018, Drake retired from the USMC as a CO of the 6th Marine Regiment.
Drake and his wife, Jessica Kiser Drake, returned closer to home in Suffolk, Virginia. Jessica remained a valiant military spouse over his military career. Together they have five children, Jewell, who attends Wake Forest University, Jack who attends Kings Fork High School, Joshua, who attends Kings Fork Middle School, and Duke who attends Elephant’s Fork Elementary School.
Drake currently serves as a consultant and owns his own philanthropic venture (Filantrophie). He is a member of the Chowan University’s Board of Visitors, a member of the Suffolk Rotary, and serves on the Suffolk YMCA Board.
