Brian Battaglia enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1979 and initially served as a Security Guard at the Marine Barracks, London, England. In March 1993, he transferred to the United Kingdom to the Royal Marine Exchange Program where he completed the Royal Marines Commando Course and served at the Commando Training Centre, Lympstone, England. He served in both Operation DESERT STORM and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. On October 1, 2011 he was appointed by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to become the SECOND Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a newly created position in 2005, that made him the senior enlisted man in all branches of U.S. Military Service.