Born on December 31, 1880, in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, George C. Marshall was a distant relative of former Chief Justice John Marshall. Marshall decided early on to embark on a career in the military and attended the Virginia Military Institute. While there he was an All-Southern tackle for the VMI Keydets football team. After graduating, Marshall served as Commandant of Students at the Danville Military Institute. He was then commissioned a second lieutenant and served in various commands in the US and the Philippines. This included a stint as a platoon leader and company commander during the Philippine-American War. Marshall also continued his education, becoming the Honor Graduate of his Infantry-Cavalry Class and graduating first in his Army Staff College class.