About Us

Need help finding reliable tactical, survival, and shooting gear? If so, Marine Approved has you covered!

Why We’re Different

Every piece of content on this website is written by an active or former US Marine. When it comes to giving advice, we stay within our range of expertise.

We write about things Marines know about and use like tactical gear, survival gear, knives, optics, concealed carry accessories, etc.

Most of the gear we write about we own or have used. If you have any questions, please let us know in the comments section of that particular page or through the contact us form here.

Meet the Squad

Derek Goins – (0311) Infantry Rifleman

Derek Goins is a former 0311 infantry team leader and Designated Marksman with 3rd BN 5th Marines. He served a combat tour in Sangin, Afghanistan in 2010 in Helmand Province as well as a tour in the Pacific with the 31st MEU.

After serving with the Marine Corps, Derek got an education at one of the top gunsmithing schools in the nation and has worked as a gunsmith for firearms and airguns since 2013. Derek is also an avid hunter, traditional archer, outdoor photographer, and obsessive gun nut.

Travis Pike – (0331) Infantry Machine Gunner

Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine gunner who served with 2nd Bn 2nd Marines for 5 years. He deployed in 2009 to Afghanistan and again in 2011 with the 22nd MEU(SOC) during a record setting 11 months at sea.

Pike has trained with the Romanian Army, the Spanish Marines, the Emirate Marines and the Afghan National Army. More experience added to the long list of accolades, he serves as an NRA certified pistol instructor and teaches concealed carry classes.

He prides himself on his insatiable supporter of the second amendment and enjoys helping others find the right gear to excersize their freedom at the highest capacity!

Corporal McMahon – (0317) Scout Sniper

CPL McMahon is a former 0317 Scout Sniper with 1st BN 2nd Marines. He served as team leader for a scout sniper team during the 22nd MEU. Shortly after leaving the Marine Corps, McMahon became a contractor for the US Army, testing small arms and large caliber weapons for potential military contracts. In his spare time, Vinny is an avid gun collector, hunter, and outdoorsman. He is also a passionate supporter of the Second Amendment.

Aaron Mitchell – (1371) Combat Engineer

Aaron Mitchell is a former Combat Engineer with the 4th Marine Divison. After serving his time in the Marines, he attended the University of Alabama and obtained a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has worked for multiple companies, including NASA, and currently works as a Flight Test Engineer for the Department of the Army. Some of his passions include hiking, cycling, running, competing in long distance triathlon races, shooting, camping, and helping others!

Kevin Wabiszewski – (0341) Infantry Mortarman

Kevin Wabiszewski is a former mortar squad leader with 3rd Bn 4th Marines. Unfortunately, shortly after completing advanced infantry training, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

He was sent to Wounded Warrior Battalion for treatment. While there, he decided to start the Marine Approved website to pass time during chemotherapy.

Nowadays, he works on this website as a hobby and to help readers find the best gear possible!

Megan Kriss – Author

Megan has been an avid recreational and competitive shooter since she was a kid and is thrilled that she’s managed to combine that with her passion for writing. She greatly enjoys many different genres of competition shooting, including IDPA and NRL22, and is passionate about self-defense, particularly teaching other women how to defend themselves more effectively.

We are Recruiting

We are currently looking for former Marines that like to talk about survival and tactical gear! If that sounds like something you’re interested in, shoot an email to Kevin@marineapproved.com. We will compensate you for your time and knowledge!

Our Mission

Our mission with this website is the help our viewers find the absolute best gear and information. We have a good time writing and try to keep the tone of our pages light-hearted, but at the end of the day, we are writing about some very important topics. After all, having the right gear on hand could be the difference between life or death!

That’s why we stick to writing about things we know about.

Our No AI Policy

Our website curates content written exclusively by our expert team of writers and editors. We do not engage with AI-generated content, as we feel that it lacks the credibility and warmth of our writers. Moreover, our writers and editors are experienced in all the niches they interact with, leaving no room for error in their articles.