Gal Gab: Reserve Marine Major Emily Maurer

Gal Gab: Reserve Marine Major Emily Maurer

Meet Major Emily Maurer, a Reserve Marine, wife and homeschooling mother of four. Emily transitioned to the Reserves after she and her husband, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Reserves, had their first child. While on active duty, Emily served in multiple places in her home state, Ohio, as well as Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. She also deployed to Kuwait on a Customs and Border Protection mission in 2014. She's filled a wide variety of jobs, including Platoon Commander, Battalion Training Officer and Officer-in-Charge of the USMCR Pistol Team within the Reserve Marksmanship Training Unit.

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Emily received her commission in 2012 after graduating from the United States Naval Academy that same year with a Bachelor of Science in English. She also completed a Master's in Public Administration with a focus on Criminal Justice several years later. She hoped to play soccer in at the US Naval Academy, but she didn't make the team. After that though, Emily began shooting air pistols "on a whim," and she hasn't looked back. She shot Camp Perry's bullseye nationals for four years, and under some stressful circumstances too. She writes that "for two of them I was more than 30 weeks pregnant, and for two I was nursing. All my kids have great hearing and no lead poisoning ... haha!" 

Emily writes that she doesn't have much spare time with four young children, but she and her husband love being with the kids. When she does get some extra time, Emily can be found drinking coffee and reading, or going on a jogging date with her husband, Brian.

I met Emily when she competed with the Marine Corps Reserve Pistol Team at the 2024 Bianchi Cup and I was thrilled to work with her on this Gal Gab edition. Her fun personality really shines through in her answers to our six questions. Read on to learn more about this wonderful woman, and don't forget to read about how she would battle a giant!

Describe a typical day in your work life:

I was an active-duty Marine for 7 years then transferred to the Reserves in 2019. Now am a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom to 4 children, 7, 5, 3 and 1. Way different! Typically I get up early to work-out before my kids wake up, then my days are full of coffee, teaching/learning, playdates, managing nap schedules and snacks. Lots of snacks! Between the kids and my Reserve schedule I don't get a lot of time to shoot these days, but when I have time I shoot air pistol on my makeshift basement range. 

#1 piece of advice you would give other females who want to break into the industry?

Just start! The industry can be intimidating if you don't have a lot of experience shooting, but everyone I have met is so kind and accommodating. 

What motivates you?

What truly motivates me is my family. Even as a 35-year-old, I still want my parents to be proud of me (Haha!), and I want my kids to see the dedication and hard work I've put into my sport, and I hope they can take away the lesson that anything is possible with persistence and discipline. 

Most unexpected thing you've learned, while working in this industry?

One of the most unexpected things I've learned while working in this industry is just how incredibly supportive and kind the community is. There's a surprising variety of shooting disciplines to explore, and it's great to know that if one doesn't resonate with you, there's likely another that will. What I didn't expect, however, was how meditative shooting could be. When you see shooting sports online, they're often presented as high-energy, action-packed events with dramatic music and effects. But in reality, the most effective shooting happens in a state of deep focus, where you're in the present moment, almost subconsciously. Reaching that level of concentration takes hours of practice, and even more to maintain it in a competitive setting.

Favorite product in the outdoor or shooting market right now?

When it comes to my favorite product in the shooting market, I have to admit, I'm not really a "gear person." While I certainly appreciate the importance of good equipment, my love for shooting is less about the gear and more about the process of the shot itself. For me, the beauty of shooting lies in the skill, precision and focus involved in taking the best shot with the least amount of mechanical aid. Outdoor wise, I have to have my jet boil! I enjoy a hot cup of coffee in the morning, oatmeal for snacks and soups for dinner when I am out in the field doing Marine things. 

Let's have some fun ... what weapon would you use to battle a giant?

If I were to battle a giant, I'd weaponize my fire-team of snack-crazed and sugar-fueled children, armed with their Escalade Power Wheels. While they may be small, they have the tactical advantage of mobility and endless energy. They'd be equipped with foam swords, wooden spoons and other everyday items that they somehow turn into weapons of opportunity. It would be great fun for me to watch the frustrated giant succumb to tactics that I am forced to defeat on the daily.

Follow Emily at @EmmyJeanne3 on Instagram and at her LinkedIn profile.

Source: Gal Gab: Reserve Marine Major Emily Maurer