In 2006, Colonel Gerbracht was assigned to Marine Barracks Washington, where he served as a Project Officer, Deputy Director of Distance Learning for the Marine Corps Institute, and Executive Officer of Company “A.” Selected as an Olmsted Scholar, he later studied Japanese at the Defense Language Institute and attended graduate school at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan. During that tour, he served with Task Force Fuji during Operation TOMODACHI, supporting tsunami relief and recovery operations.
He later served with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion as Company Commander of Engineer Support Company and Battalion Operations Officer, deploying twice in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. After graduating from the School of Advanced Warfighting as a Clifton Cates Award recipient, he served at United States Marine Corps Forces Central Command as the G-3 MAGTF Planner and later as the G-5 Strategy and Policy Officer. While at MARCENT, he was selected as a Service Chiefs Fellow at DARPA.
In 2019, Colonel Gerbracht assumed command of 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group. He later joined the Commandant of the Marine Corps Strategist Program and earned a doctorate in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies in 2023. He then served as the Marine Operational Liaison and Special Assistant to the Director of DARPA.
His civilian education includes degrees from Hofstra University, Columbia University, and Ritsumeikan University. His personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with two Gold Stars, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars and Combat “V,” the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.