Former Marine Pilot Brian Moll Continues Serving Communities Through Team Rubicon

For Brian Moll, a former United States Marine Corps aviation officer and now a FedEx Boeing 777 pilot, military service established a commitment that continues well beyond his time in uniform. Through his volunteer work with Team Rubicon, a veteran-led disaster response organisation, he applies the leadership, planning and operational skills developed during nearly 22 years in the military to help communities recover from emergencies.

Moll served as an AV-8B Harrier attack pilot, completing two shipboard deployments and combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. His responsibilities included providing close air support and protecting Marines operating on the ground. In the later stages of his military career, he also worked to support combat-wounded Marines and help them navigate the transition to civilian life.

Now marking eight years as an international FedEx pilot, Moll continues to find opportunities to serve others. As a volunteer known as a “Greyshirt” with Team Rubicon, he takes part in disaster response and community recovery projects.

Finding a new purpose through Team Rubicon

For many military veterans, leaving active service means adjusting to the loss of the camaraderie, shared responsibility and clear sense of mission that shaped their military careers. Moll found a way to maintain that connection through Team Rubicon before he had even completed his transition out of the Marine Corps.

He first encountered the organisation at a recruitment event arranged by his team while he was responsible for supporting combat-wounded Marines.

Team Rubicon’s approach appealed to him because it gave veterans an opportunity to use their military experience in service of communities affected by disasters. Although Moll could no longer support fellow Marines through aviation, he recognised that his abilities in planning, leadership and organising teams could be put to use in civilian emergency response.

His first deployment came just two weeks after he retired from the Marine Corps.

Hurricane Florence brings the first mission close to home

In September 2018, Hurricane Florence struck eastern North Carolina, including the area around Moll’s hometown near Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.

He had expected his first Team Rubicon assignment might take him to storm-damaged communities in Texas or Florida. Instead, the hurricane affected the neighbourhood where he lived. With hundreds of local homes damaged by flooding and strong winds, Moll joined recovery efforts to help residents and neighbours rebuild.

The experience gave him an immediate opportunity to put his new role as a volunteer into practice in a community he knew personally.

Applying military and aviation experience to disaster response

Moll sees important similarities between flying military aircraft, operating a commercial wide-body jet and working in a disaster zone. In each environment, people must communicate clearly, remain composed under pressure and make decisions despite incomplete information.

He believes the experience of handling difficult situations during military operations and in the cockpit helps him approach the uncertainty that follows a disaster.

As he explains, a person may not always know exactly how to solve a problem at the outset. However, experience can provide the confidence to establish an initial plan, communicate responsibilities to the team and work through the challenges one step at a time.

Team Rubicon also brings together volunteers from different backgrounds around a common objective. Moll says this shared purpose creates a strong sense of connection, much like the teamwork he experienced in military units and flight crews.

He values the opportunity to work alongside people who give their time to help others, noting that differences between individuals become less significant when everyone is focused on the same task.

How FedEx supports Team Rubicon’s disaster relief work

Moll’s volunteer commitment also connects with his professional life at FedEx. Through its FedEx Cares Delivering for Good initiative, the company works with humanitarian and disaster relief organisations, including Team Rubicon, to help move essential supplies, equipment and other resources into areas affected by emergencies.

For Moll, the company’s support has particular significance because it backs an organisation to which he contributes his own time.

He says he was pleased to see FedEx supporting Team Rubicon during his first operation. He also highlighted the value of combining corporate resources with the local knowledge of volunteer leaders, who can help direct assistance towards the communities and people who need it.

The partnership illustrates how corporate logistics capabilities and community-based volunteer networks can work together during disaster response.

Supporting community resilience beyond major disasters

Moll’s involvement is not limited to responding after hurricanes or other emergencies. He also participates in projects designed to reduce risks before disasters occur.

In August, he joined a fire mitigation project in Arizona supporting Therapeutic Riding of Tucson (T.R.O.T.). Working in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit, volunteers cleared hazardous brush around the facility to help reduce its exposure to wildfire risk.

The activity reflects a broader aspect of disaster preparedness: strengthening the resilience of community facilities before an emergency threatens them.

Brian Moll’s message to veterans considering volunteering

As Veterans Day provides an opportunity to recognise the contributions of former service personnel, Moll encourages other veterans to consider joining organisations that put their skills and experience to work in their communities.

He points out that there are hundreds of veteran service organisations offering opportunities to contribute. The time commitment need not be extensive. While some volunteers can dedicate several weeks to a project, even a single day or an afternoon can make a meaningful contribution.

Moll also believes volunteering offers something valuable to the people who take part: the chance to meet others who share a commitment to helping their communities.

His experience demonstrates how the skills developed during military service can continue to serve a purpose in civilian life. Through his work with Team Rubicon, Moll has carried the principles of teamwork, leadership and service from the cockpit into communities facing recovery and rebuilding challenges.