Sergeant Major Gay enlisted into the Marine Corps in the Delayed Entry Program on 16 December 1999. He reported to Marine Corps
Recruit Depot San Diego, California in July 2000 for recruit training.
Private Gay attended Naval Aircrew Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida in November 2000. Upon completion, Private First Class
Gay attended H-1 helicopter mechanic training and UH-1N Crew Member Training at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton,
California.
In June 2001, Private First Class Gay was assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 (HMLA-367), Marine Aircraft
Group 39 (MAG-39), 3d Marine Aircraft Wing, Camp Pendleton, California. He served as an UH-1N Crew Chief and H-1 Plane
Captain. During his tour of duty, Corporal Gay deployed to Okinawa, Japan with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and was
promoted to Sergeant in December of 2003. In May of 2005, Sergeant Gay graduated Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course at Marine
Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1 (MAWTS-1) in Yuma, In August of 2004 Sergeant Gay deployed to Al Anbar Province,
Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) where he participated in Operation Al-Fajr.
In February 2006, Sergeant Gay reported to MAWTS-1 in Yuma, Arizona where he served as a UH-1N Crew Chief Instructor. While at
MAWTS-1, Sergeant Gay trained UH-1 aircrew in advanced weapons and tactics to gain the MOS of 6177. He was promoted to Staff
Sergeant in August of 2006. In November 2006, he provided augment instructor support for HMLA-367 deployed in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom. In August 2008, Staff Sergeant Gay became the first MAWTS-1 instructor qualified in the UH-1Y and in
November of 2008 was selected as the Staff Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge (SNCOIC) of the H-1 Upgrades Tactical Training
Unit (TTU) at Camp Pendleton, California, charged with converting the maintenance crews and enlisted aircrew of Marine Aircraft
Group-39's five HMLA squadrons from the UH-1N to the UH-1Y model helicopter.
In June 2010 Staff Sergeant Gay transferred to HMLA-169 and was assigned as the Flight Line Division SNCOIC. Staff Sergeant Gay
deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in October of 2010. During this time Staff
Sergeant Gay was again selected to lead the H-1 TTU for MAG-29 and upon his return from deployment, reported to MAG-29 HQ, 2d
Marine Aircraft Wing, and was assigned to HMLA-167 as the Naval Aviation Training and Operating Procedures Standardization
Chief. The following year, Gunnery Sergeant and was assigned to MAG-29 HQ, as the MAG-29 Enlisted NATOPS Evaluator and
Ground Safety Manager. In July of 2014 Gunnery Sergeant Gay reported to Marine Aviation Training Systems Site, 3d Marine Air
Wing, Camp Pendleton, California where he managed aviation flight simulator systems.
Gunnery Sergeant Gay was promoted to the rank of First Sergeant on 1 October 2015 and reported to Headquarters and Support
Company, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division where he served as Company First Sergeant. First Sergeant Gay was
selected to the position of Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Commander, Task Force Al Asad and deployed in support of Operation
Inherent Resolve as a military advisor to the 7th Iraqi Army Division from March 2016 to December 2016. First Sergeant Gay reported
to 3d Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion (3d LAAD Bn) in January 2018 then was selected to serve as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to
the Commander of Task Force Spartan from October 2018 to February 2019 before returning to 3d LAAD Bn. First Sergeant Gay was
promoted to Sergeant Major in December 2019 reported to Marine Air Support Squadron 3 where he served as Squadron Sergeant
Major from January 2020 to January 2022.
Sergeant Major Gay assumed his current duties as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader of 3d Assault Amphibian Battalion on 3
February 2022.
Sergeant Major Gay´s personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal Individual Action, Air Medal with Strike
Flight numeral 13, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (fourth award) and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
(fourth award).