For many athletes, the end of a college career can feel uncertain. Years of structure, competition and identity tied to the game suddenly come to a halt. For Airman 1st Class Chavis Marshall, 9th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, that moment became the start of something new — a transition from Division I football to a life of service in the United States Air Force.

“A lot of people assume I’ve played sports before due to my size and build,” Marshall said. “But most don’t realize that I was a Division I athlete.”

Marshall’s approach to his Air Force career is shaped by these early chapters of his life. Early mornings and high-pressure performances taught him discipline and resilience.

“He is very disciplined and calm under pressure, especially when things are going bad,” said Tech. Sgt. Justin Marriott, 9th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. “He’s made a couple mistakes, but he doesn’t let it get the better of him. While a lot of other people would have let it affect them the rest of the mission, he just took the feedback and kept going.”

His path to football was not typical. Growing up, soccer was his main focus. It was not until middle school, encouraged by friends, that he gave football a chance.

“My friends kind of tricked me into playing football,” he said with a laugh. “But it was fun, so I stuck with it.”

Marshall’s Division I experience built a foundation of discipline and accountability through hard work and lessons learned. By high school, that decision began to pay off. His commitment to the sport earned him a full-ride scholarship as a wide receiver at Kennesaw State University, leading to four years of competition at the Division I level. While games and competition stood out, the lessons behind the scenes left a lasting impact.

“Discipline is something that gets instilled into you. My coaches always said, ‘Practice how you play,’ and that carries over into everything,” Marshall said. “It teaches you to be a good player, a good teammate and to be a good young man. It all matters.”

That level of commitment helped prepare him for what came next and built a foundation that would later serve him well in the Air Force.

“When we all come into the C-5 fresh out of LIQ, we’re somewhat knowledgeable, but still have a lot to learn,” Marriott said, referring to the local initial qualification course for the C-5M. “Based on this check ride, his performance has grown significantly, and he is ready to learn and improve.”

As his senior year came to an end, his focus began to shift. For the first time, he had to seriously consider what life would look like after football.

“A few games before the end of the season, I realized I didn’t have a plan after football,” Marshall said. “Like a lot of athletes, I got caught up in the moment because I was so focused on what was important right then and forgot to prepare for afterward. I realized I didn’t have a job after football and knew I had to find something.”

After years of competing at the highest collegiate level, Marshall looked for a new team that would continue to challenge him to be his best self.

“I had a lot of friends in the military, but mostly in the Air Force. They told me, without a doubt, go Air Force,” Marshall said.

Conversations with friends already serving in the military helped point him in a new direction.

“My recruiter told me I was initially disqualified from joining because of a small medical issue I had in 2020 while playing football, but it didn’t stop me from playing or working out,” Marshall said. “She told me she’d fight for me to get in. She also said it was hard to get the loadmaster job I wanted, but by the time my medical process cleared, mobility force aviator positions had opened up. I took it as a sign and decided to sign and swear in.”

Basic Military Training introduced him to a wide range of personalities and experiences, which sometimes proved challenging. Even so, his background helped him stay grounded. He knew that by staying coachable and setting the example, he would succeed in his new career.

While football once defined his daily routine, his sense of purpose has evolved. The discipline, resilience and teamwork he developed as an athlete continue to guide him — now in service to something larger than the game. Even so, his core remains the same: trust, accountability and a shared goal.

“He is a mission mover,” Marriot said. “He is very strong, especially for a new mission loadmaster, and will get better with more experience.”

Looking back, each stage of his life has prepared him for the next. From discovering football in middle school to competing at the highest level of college athletics and now serving in the Air Force, every experience has shaped who he is today.

“After experiencing my first mission here and getting stuck at Naval Station Rota,” Marshall said, “I knew I had made the right decision in joining the Air Force.”

For others facing a similar transition, his perspective is simple: stay focused, be adaptable and embrace the process. Sometimes, the end of one path isn’t an ending at all — it’s the beginning of something greater.