1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 1: Life audio, made a. 2 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 2: Great career, made a lot of great friends, learned a lot, 3 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 2: made the companies a lot of money. 4 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 3: But tell you the truth, I was lying to myself. 5 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 1: I was running. 6 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 3: I was scared. 7 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 2: It was a roller coaster ride without a seatbelt, and 8 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,079 Speaker 2: I had to hit absolute rock bottom for me to 9 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 2: finally realize, like, Okay, where am I am? 10 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:26,439 Speaker 1: I that my guest today, Ryan Ackerman. Ryan, thanks for 11 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: joining me. Ryan is the president of the first Battalion, 12 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: fifth Marines Association. We served together in Iraq. Give those 13 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:37,920 Speaker 1: who don't know you your background for why the Marine Corps. 14 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:40,160 Speaker 2: I decided I wanted to join the Marine Corps because 15 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:44,599 Speaker 2: I truly believe that it was my opportunity to get 16 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:46,639 Speaker 2: out and really learn who I am and what I'm 17 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 2: capable of doing. I felt that when I was a kid, 18 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 2: I was held back with a lot of things. I 19 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 2: wasn't given the opportunity to really understand myself, understand my 20 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 2: strengths and my ability. 21 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 3: So the Marine Corps stood out me. 22 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 2: You know, through the through the movies that I watched, 23 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 2: through the stories that I heard. I'm just like, there's 24 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:09,759 Speaker 2: just everything checks the box. And I ended up signing 25 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 2: up and joining and yeah, it was history from there. 26 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: It was pretty amazing. How long were you in the 27 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: Marine Corps? 28 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 2: I did four years. I did four years total. I 29 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 2: did three combat tours with one to five. 30 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 1: I did four busy years. Yeah, yeah, really, Yeah. 31 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 2: As you know, we are one of the few battalions 32 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 2: that actually did three consecutive for what I believe, we 33 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 2: may be the only battalion in the Marine Corps that 34 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 2: actually had the same group do it three executive times. 35 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:42,400 Speaker 3: So it was an honor. 36 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 2: I mean, just like you guys, I mean, when you're 37 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 2: out and you're away from the group, you almost have 38 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 2: that guilty conscience of feeling that you know you needed 39 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 2: to be there. So I actually had that opportunity to 40 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 2: be there and continue serving, and yeah, man, it was. 41 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 3: It was a different beast each and every time. 42 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 2: But yeah, I did the invasion in two thousand and 43 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 2: three with you guys, ended up going back over in 44 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 2: two thousand and four for more when we were the 45 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 2: first in after they killed the contractors and hung them 46 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 2: on the bridge in Fallujah. We started that fight, ended 47 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 2: up coming to a ceasefire due to political reasons. Didn't 48 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 2: necessarily agree with them, felt really disrespected, almost. 49 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 3: Because our fight was taken away from us. 50 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:33,519 Speaker 2: We were gaining so much ground so quickly, and then 51 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:36,119 Speaker 2: we got pulled away. As you know, Marines aren't good 52 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 2: like that. Marines just need to continue pushing, that's what 53 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 2: we do best. And then ended up getting fapped out 54 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 2: to the ISMNT love life, golfed all the time. It 55 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 2: was amazing, And then we didn't end up getting a 56 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 2: drop of marines at SI. So I got a call 57 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,639 Speaker 2: from my start major asking me to come back and 58 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 2: serve one hundred and twenty days over in the nice 59 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:57,239 Speaker 2: city of Ramadi. 60 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: Yeah. Wow, Yeah, that's crazy. I mean you fit an 61 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: entire twenty year career into four years in the Marine 62 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: Corps of Belt that time in combat experience. Yeah, that's wild. 63 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 1: What was your transition like on the other on the 64 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: other side of that, I mean, that's super intense for 65 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: a long time and then you got out. What was 66 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 1: that transition like for you? 67 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:20,920 Speaker 3: It was a roller coaster ride without a seat belt? 68 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, I really felt that I jumped into it no 69 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 2: different than we did each time. You know, we went 70 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 2: over and served overseas. You know, we we put our 71 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:34,519 Speaker 2: best foot forward and we just had belief in ourselves. 72 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 2: That whatever comes will will overcome. Right, had opportunities come up, 73 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 2: I ended up going back to Indiana, setting up there, 74 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 2: giving it a chance. I thought that, you know, I 75 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 2: was going to go to school, I was going to 76 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 2: go become a US marshall. I mean, I really didn't 77 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 2: have a chance to really think what I was going 78 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 2: to do because I just finished Ramadi. I went home, 79 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 2: processed out, and then next month and then I was out. 80 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 2: So it was like, you don't really have time to 81 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 2: plan anything. You know, a lot of guys were going contracting. 82 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 2: I didn't know what I was gonna do. I was 83 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 2: gonna try to play it safe and get a real job, 84 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,119 Speaker 2: something that I can count on, build a career because 85 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 2: I felt that's what I needed to do, and quickly 86 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 2: realized that there were a lot of hurdles and just 87 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 2: I didn't have the confidence of myself. So I ended 88 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 2: up going out to California. I had an opportunity to 89 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 2: go work at Knew Me, which was General Motors and 90 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 2: Toyota Venture building building vehicles out there, and had an 91 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 2: opportunity take off there. I stayed busy, so it kept 92 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 2: me focused. You know, made a great career, made a 93 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 2: lot of you know, great friends, learned a lot, made 94 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 2: made the companies a lot of money. But tell you 95 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 2: the truth, I was lying to myself. I was running, 96 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 2: I was scared. I didn't know what I was doing. 97 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 2: I was just trying to do my best. 98 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: Yeah that you know. I've talked about this a lot. 99 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: But in two thousand and three, when I left the 100 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: Marine Corps, and you know, several years I think until 101 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: fairly recently, the transition process really was that it was 102 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: a three day class. If you went to the class, 103 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:13,280 Speaker 1: and there were a lot of ways to get out 104 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:17,239 Speaker 1: of it, and the class was really focused on things 105 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:21,360 Speaker 1: like resume building and you know, stuff you might need 106 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: if you go get a job, but didn't talk at 107 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 1: all about the actual transition, the feeling of loss, the 108 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 1: feeling of separation, how to deal with new environments and 109 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: new people, and you know, you move back to Indiana, 110 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: how do how do you do that? What does that 111 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 1: transition look like? There was no conversation about that at all, 112 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: and I think a lot of us ended up Yeah, man, 113 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 1: just just lost. I guess that's the right way to 114 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:48,480 Speaker 1: say it, because I don't know what to do now. 115 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 1: I don't know how to function now. And thankfully a 116 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:55,600 Speaker 1: lot of that's gotten better. But my response to that 117 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: was put the Marine Corps as far behind me as possible, 118 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 1: because the only way I know how to move forward 119 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,159 Speaker 1: is to not keep hanging on to it. You know, 120 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: what I had and what was behind me, that thing 121 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: that I was so proud of, and that thing that 122 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 1: I was so thankful for, And it's it's tough. I've 123 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 1: talked to people recently about this. It's tough to explain, 124 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 1: particularly those that were part of the invasion. It's it's 125 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 1: maybe I say tough, and maybe impossible to explain the 126 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:29,280 Speaker 1: feeling of being a part of that. It wasn't simply 127 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:33,160 Speaker 1: a combat deployment, and no, you know, not to diminish 128 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: combat deployments otherwise, but it was this massively historic, all 129 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,919 Speaker 1: eyes on you, You're the only show in town. The whole 130 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:46,600 Speaker 1: world is watching moment. And then you walk away from that, 131 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 1: and you know, honestly, people don't care, and that's fine 132 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: they should, and I guess, and you're just trying to 133 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 1: find yourself again, like what am I going to do 134 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:58,039 Speaker 1: again in my life? That is as important as as that, 135 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:02,359 Speaker 1: and that transition leading to you know, lots of identity, 136 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 1: which we talk about a lot on the show, and 137 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: all of those issues very important issues. But if you 138 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 1: turn your back on that, if your response is well, 139 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 1: then I'll just forget I ever did that. That does 140 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 1: not help at all. And that's really what I think 141 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: you focused a lot of your post military life is 142 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: helping people understand the importance of those connections. 143 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 2: Absolutely, and you know what, like I'm just I'm going 144 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 2: through experience myself so that I can understand it and 145 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 2: I can help others. And you know, once I stopped 146 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 2: lying to myself and doing what I believe the world 147 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 2: expected me to do, like things started making sense. Like 148 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 2: I started noticing that the feelings that I have, like 149 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 2: they were really powerful, and it's like I pushed all 150 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 2: them aside, thinking I needed to be something else and 151 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 2: everybody looked at me a certain way, and you know, 152 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 2: I needed to meet that standard, but I didn't even 153 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 2: know what that standard was. It was like right right 154 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 2: changing on the audience I was around, like I had 155 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 2: to be better than that, you know, And it's like 156 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 2: at times I was around billionaires, It's like how do 157 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 2: you do that? 158 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 3: You know? 159 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 2: So it's it's a difficult thing. It really honestly is. 160 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 2: But like as I was going through it, and I 161 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 2: had to hit rock bottom, I mean, Jeremy, I had 162 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 2: to hit absolute rock bottom for me to finally realize, like, okay, 163 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 2: where am I in my life? What is worth living? 164 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 2: Because right now all I do is continue to get 165 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:32,439 Speaker 2: knocked down because I didn't understand. But I was doing 166 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 2: it to myself. I was running for my problems, right 167 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 2: And once I realized who I am and what is 168 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 2: important to me, I pulled the Marine Corps back in 169 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 2: because I did exactly what you said. 170 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:47,959 Speaker 3: When I left. 171 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 2: It was like I fell off a cliff and I 172 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 2: knew I couldn't go back, right. It's like, hey, I 173 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 2: did my time. I'm proud, I'm a man. Now I'm 174 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 2: going to go out here and I'm going to do 175 00:08:57,120 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 2: as best as I can wherever it's needed. I was 176 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 2: just lost. So it's like, once I started understanding that, 177 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 2: things started making sense. I started pulling back the military, 178 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 2: and it's like I started connecting with the guys and 179 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:12,839 Speaker 2: then before I knew it, like my phone starts ringing 180 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,680 Speaker 2: off the hook by everybody else like wanting to connect, 181 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 2: and it's like you would have these these awkward conversations 182 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 2: in the beginning, but then quickly it would turn into 183 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 2: like full blown, like emotional connection with your brother on 184 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 2: the other line, and it's like, man, it was like 185 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 2: you guys didn't even miss miss an hour away from 186 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 2: each other. 187 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, and it was it was. 188 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:37,440 Speaker 3: So uplifting for me. 189 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 2: It provided me that piece that was missing in my heart, 190 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 2: and I started to realize, like, how I can take 191 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 2: care of myself, how I can love myself because I 192 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 2: feel like forever, you know, even growing up as I 193 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 2: was a child, like I never knew how to love myself. 194 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:54,559 Speaker 2: In the Marine Corps, didn't even know how to love myself. 195 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 2: I was a push, push, push, I have time to 196 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:56,439 Speaker 2: think about it. 197 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 3: I just when right, you know. 198 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 2: So it's like now I'm like, okay, well, if I'm 199 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 2: going to live my life any further past this moment, 200 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:03,960 Speaker 2: I need to figure it out. So once I got 201 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 2: the Marines back involved, we started doing things. We started 202 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 2: helping each other out. But people's lives are changing, changing 203 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 2: for the better with the smallest things like no effort, 204 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 2: right and it's just lending an ear. And once we 205 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 2: started doing that, we ended up putting together a small 206 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 2: reunion for Alpha company a New Brufels, Texas, which was amazing, 207 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:26,599 Speaker 2: and I got to meet up with some of the 208 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 2: guys I haven't seen it forever. I mean, guys are 209 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 2: flying all over the place during COVID to meet up 210 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 2: and we got to talk and and I'm like, dude, 211 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 2: this is where I need to be, Like, this is 212 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 2: my purpose, Like after the Marine Corps being a trigger puller, 213 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 2: like after losing that, I just like, what do you 214 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 2: do with that? 215 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 3: It's like jumping out of a plane with no parachute. 216 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 2: So I got to the point to where started digging 217 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,720 Speaker 2: into it and we were able to find a need, 218 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:57,200 Speaker 2: a want, and a way to where we have a 219 00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 2: solution to fix a problem that doesn't necessarily just exist 220 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:07,320 Speaker 2: with our battalion, but all the battalions. Yeah, you know, 221 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:10,600 Speaker 2: so so what can we do to change for the future. 222 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 2: And that's what's led us into the association. 223 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: Man, It's it's there's a distinction there, and you talk 224 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:20,960 Speaker 1: about it. It was a connection with the Marines. It 225 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 1: was connection with you know, with the guys. And I 226 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 1: think where a lot of people get this wrong is 227 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: they stay connected. You know, I put that in air 228 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:33,599 Speaker 1: quote connected to the organization to the Marine Corps, and 229 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 1: and you see these these folks walking around, you know, 230 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:40,079 Speaker 1: everything they wear somehow signals that they are a veteran, 231 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 1: they were in the Marine Corps or whatever. And there's 232 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 1: nothing wrong with all that stuff, I guess, but that's 233 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: their connection. And they find a lot of identity in 234 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: the organization and the agency and law enforcement or whatever where. 235 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 1: What they're missing is not that that's gonna move on 236 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: without them. That's gonna, you know, be its own thing. 237 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: What they're missing is the connection to the people. And 238 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:04,680 Speaker 1: one of the things that you've done that again probably 239 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 1: not unique, but unique in my experience, is you focused 240 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 1: a whole lot less on the organization and a whole 241 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: lot more on the people. To your point, you just 242 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,840 Speaker 1: said this, it's not just about our battalion. It's about 243 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: every battalion. It's about people who have been in very 244 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:28,199 Speaker 1: difficult situations together and the most transparent situations. You'll ever 245 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 1: be right, You'll never be more transparent than you are 246 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: with the people you serve with in the military. But 247 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: it's focusing on the people, on the individuals, not the 248 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,840 Speaker 1: organization that brought us together. You're thankful for that, but 249 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:45,080 Speaker 1: the lives that were impacted and that's what you're really 250 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:47,839 Speaker 1: missing when you step away from that. And that's man, 251 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:49,600 Speaker 1: it took me a long time to realize that. It 252 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:52,760 Speaker 1: took me ten years to realize that before I started 253 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 1: having some of those conversations and they were kind of 254 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 1: forced on me some of tho. Yeah, some of them 255 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: kundter met guys right like reach out like sir, we're 256 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:02,360 Speaker 1: doing this thing and it'd be great for you to 257 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:07,200 Speaker 1: be there. And I hadn't had those conversations soon ever. Yeah, 258 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: and that that's what turned the light on for me 259 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 1: to get me involved in the work that I'm doing now. 260 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 1: But it's the people. Maybe talk about that for a minute, 261 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: because I think that's a really important distinction that a 262 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 1: lot of people miss. 263 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, I know it is. 264 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:22,719 Speaker 2: And it's the thing is is it's like once you 265 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 2: talk to one person, it's just domino effect. It leads 266 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:29,079 Speaker 2: into so many things. And that's what I've realized with association. 267 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 2: It's like we can never have enough, Like there's so 268 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 2: much work to do, there's so many rocks that haven't 269 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 2: been turned over, and it's like you can't you can't 270 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 2: short change any of this. 271 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 3: So it's like we do our best. We put our foot. 272 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 2: Forward, and we make sure that we start connecting with 273 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:47,559 Speaker 2: the right types of people. You know, when we first 274 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 2: went into this, I wanted to make sure that we 275 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 2: didn't leave our guys behind. The difficult thing was is 276 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 2: we had I did three combat tours with many of 277 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:56,439 Speaker 2: these guys. 278 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:56,680 Speaker 1: Yeah. 279 00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, So it's like to have consecutive to back to 280 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 2: back events that are historic, you know, I mean some 281 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 2: of the gnarliest Marine Corps battles in history, you know, 282 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:14,439 Speaker 2: and it's like, you know, we finally have the opportunity 283 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 2: to bring these people together. I wanted to make sure 284 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 2: that we didn't do we didn't fill the glass half full. 285 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 2: So I wanted to make sure we executed, We learned, 286 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 2: we studied, we improved each and every time that we 287 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 2: go through each of the reunions. It just so happened 288 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 2: we were coming up on our twentieth reunion for the invasion. 289 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:38,080 Speaker 2: So when I started connecting with the guys, I realized that, like, hey, 290 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 2: I have this idea, but I can't do this alone, 291 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 2: Like I don't have any experience doing it, So what 292 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 2: did it do? 293 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 3: It led into ideas right, like what's popping my head? 294 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 2: Who can help me right now on the highest level possible. 295 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 2: Who could I call right now? They can probably have 296 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 2: a solution to my problem. And the first person that 297 00:14:56,440 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 2: came to my mind was our battalion commander for Bajian, 298 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 2: Lieutenant Colonel Fret Padilla, at the time retired Major General 299 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 2: Padia honestly like probably the greatest man I've ever met 300 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 2: in my life, and I have the utmost respect for 301 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 2: him and would do anything for that man, yep. 302 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 3: Or his family. 303 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 2: And once I connected with him, we discussed a twenty 304 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 2: year reunion, and right away we all agreed that it 305 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 2: would be great. And it's like, how can we do this? 306 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 2: And it's like, well, you know, if we're going to 307 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 2: do it right, we need to do a battalion level 308 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 2: Well who's ever done a battalion size reunion before? 309 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 3: And you're talking like a thousand people. 310 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 2: So I ended up I ended up talking through talking 311 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 2: through it and trying to figure out. 312 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:49,560 Speaker 3: A way we'd do it. 313 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 2: He wanted to grab the bull by the horns and 314 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 2: come up with a solution, actually work with the local 315 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 2: group down there in southern California and get it going. 316 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 2: And as we were talking talking, you know, I realized 317 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 2: that we needed something much more than a reunion. We 318 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 2: needed something long term, and we needed to build an association. 319 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 2: That way, we have something current, we can build something 320 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 2: for the future. And as we have that, we can 321 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 2: still go as back as far as we can to 322 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 2: make sure we don't leave any of our brothers behind. 323 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:23,240 Speaker 2: And when we did that, we realized that we're going 324 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 2: to need a team to do it. So we had 325 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 2: Edgar Menz, We had Manuel Rojo jumping there, had Wade 326 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 2: Span jumping there, Charlie Williams jumped in there. 327 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 3: I mean, we had some great guys, great guys just. 328 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 2: Willing just to jump in, get waist deep into it 329 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 2: and just figure it out. And we were able to 330 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 2: do that. But as we were doing that, all it 331 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:55,240 Speaker 2: did is open up more and more doors. We realized 332 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 2: the gaps that exist within our battalion and the things 333 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 2: that we wear in our hearts but we don't show. 334 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:06,119 Speaker 2: And that is our gold Star families, and we feel 335 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:11,439 Speaker 2: like they weren't done right during that time because we're uneducated, 336 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 2: we were constantly moving. We always always, always can do better, 337 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 2: So I think we should start with that. So we 338 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:23,760 Speaker 2: focused on that. We started getting in contact with the 339 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:26,239 Speaker 2: gold Star families, letting them know who we were, what 340 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 2: we were about, and what we were going to do 341 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:31,440 Speaker 2: for them if they were open and willing. And the 342 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 2: turnout from that man the fact of all those families, 343 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 2: and you got to think, these these family members are 344 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:42,639 Speaker 2: getting getting older, right, and it's like they didn't hesitate, 345 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:44,959 Speaker 2: they leaned in. They believed in us, and you know, 346 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 2: they provided us to love and support and we just 347 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 2: continued to build and that just led into another thing, suicide. 348 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 2: One of the main reasons I got so involved in 349 00:17:55,600 --> 00:18:01,919 Speaker 2: this is because I know we as one five, I. 350 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 3: Get at least three to four suicides a year. A year, 351 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:15,000 Speaker 3: like the suicide rate, the accidental deaths, the diseases, the cancers, 352 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,920 Speaker 3: that there's so many things out there that people are 353 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 3: dealing with, and we realize that we must honor. 354 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 2: The families of the fallen as well. So we started 355 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 2: connecting with the families that had their sons go overseas 356 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 2: and fight that fight and come home and still carry 357 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 2: on the burdens of the battles they fought and continue 358 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 2: to fight the fight to where they finally weren't able 359 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:45,879 Speaker 2: to do it anymore. Like those families don't have the 360 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:48,439 Speaker 2: support around them to be able to process that and 361 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 2: understand it. It's up to us to educate them. It's 362 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 2: up to us to build a relationship. Everything must go 363 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:00,640 Speaker 2: full circle, and if it doesn't, it's not real. 364 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's good. Well, one of the I guess the 365 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:10,280 Speaker 1: big you know, kind of catalyst moments for me talking 366 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 1: through this. You mentioned Wade Span He was part of 367 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: that conversation. He was actually a big part of that 368 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 1: conversation for me. Jeremy mayhon Manny Silva, some of those 369 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 1: guys that you know, huge, huge influence in my life 370 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:24,880 Speaker 1: just in their kind of bringing me back into back 371 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 1: into the fold, which is good. I think it's a 372 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: little bit ironic, but the realization around those conversations that 373 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:35,120 Speaker 1: if we don't take care of ourselves, if we don't 374 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 1: take care of each other, no one's going to. And 375 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: it's not because the va is, you know, the devil. 376 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:44,680 Speaker 1: It's not because society hates us. It's none of those things. 377 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:47,640 Speaker 1: It's just because they don't they're not connected to it. 378 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 1: They don't understand it. That's fine. They don't understand the people, 379 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 1: the individuals. And one of the things, you know, I 380 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: went to the twentieth anniversary reunion, and it was it 381 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:02,080 Speaker 1: was unbelievable for so many reasons. One of the reasons 382 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 1: was you walk into the room, You're like, there are there, 383 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:06,679 Speaker 1: Like you said, there are a thousand people here. This 384 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 1: is this is not I didn't know what to expect. 385 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:11,920 Speaker 1: This is not a small thing. You know. I live 386 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 1: forty minutes from Camp Pendleton, and so my wife's like, 387 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 1: you have to go to that. If you don't, it 388 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:19,880 Speaker 1: would be stupid. I'm like, well, I don't know yet. 389 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 1: She's like, just going. If you don't like it, we'll leave. 390 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:26,359 Speaker 1: It'll be fine. Yeah. And you know, I spent the 391 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 1: whole night. I don't think I sat down. I spent 392 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:30,120 Speaker 1: the whole night just talking to people and seeing people. 393 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: And it's it's amazing to see these marines that you 394 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: served with twenty years ago grown up and with families 395 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:40,200 Speaker 1: and their kids are off doing stuff and and and yeah, 396 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 1: it's like you didn't miss a beat, right, Like we've 397 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:46,920 Speaker 1: lived our lives, but we had this moment that wasn't 398 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:49,879 Speaker 1: shared with too many other people, and it just it 399 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: makes things very different. And then the opportunity to continue 400 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:57,360 Speaker 1: to support Yeah, it's it's wild but to your point, 401 00:20:57,440 --> 00:20:59,199 Speaker 1: if we don't take care of each other, then no 402 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 1: one's going to the gold Star. Families need to feel 403 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: appreciation those whose family members, you know, made that decision 404 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:10,400 Speaker 1: to take their lives, as horrific as that is, they 405 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:13,119 Speaker 1: don't need to be ashamed. They should be proud of 406 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 1: the service of their loved one, whoever that was. And 407 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,439 Speaker 1: we're the only ones that can, you know, care for 408 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: those people. Yeah, it's hugely important. 409 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:24,919 Speaker 3: Totally, totally. 410 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:27,959 Speaker 2: And the thing is too as I what I've learned 411 00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:30,639 Speaker 2: through the years, and you know, I've been married a 412 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,920 Speaker 2: few times, and you know, my first two marriages were 413 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:36,159 Speaker 2: difficult because I didn't share who I was. 414 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 3: I didn't talk about the military right. 415 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 2: Nobody understood because when I talked, things came out and 416 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:47,160 Speaker 2: I would shock the room and I quickly would get uncomfortable. 417 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:49,560 Speaker 3: So it was like I just didn't talk about it. 418 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 2: Well, by me meeting the most amazing person in my life, 419 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:58,679 Speaker 2: which is now my wife of almost five years, and 420 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 2: our amazing family, like would I wouldn't have the motivation, 421 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 2: the energy, the drive to do this. You know, I 422 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:10,080 Speaker 2: have the family, I see the need, but like you know, 423 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 2: it takes the family support to allow you to be 424 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:17,160 Speaker 2: able to do those things and to understand and move through. Well, 425 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 2: here's the thing. You know, my wife didn't come from 426 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:23,400 Speaker 2: a military family. She wasn't raised around what she didn't 427 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 2: even know, you know, So for her to open up 428 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 2: and understand all kinds of different levels and to go 429 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:34,560 Speaker 2: to these reunions and see how damaged some of the 430 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:38,359 Speaker 2: folks are and hear the stories, but at the same 431 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 2: time wants to lean in and help any way she 432 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:45,199 Speaker 2: can and provide, you know, outside perspective and want to 433 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 2: be able to grow what we're capable of doing and 434 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 2: providing more resources. Like it's huge, and that's how the 435 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:57,119 Speaker 2: community builds, right, And it's by us talking, sharing our stories. 436 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:01,200 Speaker 3: But I do believe as grunts, we do need to 437 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 3: be aware of our audience. Luckily as we get older we. 438 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 2: Get a little more wiser and aware, but you know, 439 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 2: definitely be aware of the audience. Share Like at these reunions. 440 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:15,919 Speaker 2: I have, I have kids, I have wives, I have 441 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,760 Speaker 2: I have uncles, aunts, mothers, fathers. Come up to me 442 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 2: and it was just like, you're doing amazing things. You 443 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 2: guys are doing amazing things. Because now I'm able to 444 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 2: understand why my husband does that or my dad does that. 445 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,439 Speaker 2: Now I'm able to understand who he is, where he 446 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:37,360 Speaker 2: comes from, Like, where would you ever get another opportunity 447 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,200 Speaker 2: to do that? That would just be a complete void 448 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 2: in their life. Well, that's going to hinder their growth 449 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:46,640 Speaker 2: as a child. So it's like, how can we continue 450 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 2: to help, you know, how can we bring awareness? And 451 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 2: then that's just us Right now, you've got to go 452 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 2: into Afghanistan guys, right one five went back over there 453 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:00,679 Speaker 2: two more times. They weren't Narwa, they weren't saying, had 454 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:04,600 Speaker 2: some bloody battles over there. Yeah, and it's like, you know, 455 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:06,679 Speaker 2: we must pick them up. I've got to learn the 456 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 2: gold Star families and the families of the fallen from 457 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 2: their group and amazing guys like Anthony Marquez and Manny 458 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 2: Mark has doing the make Piece or Dive film, Like 459 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:18,480 Speaker 2: are you kidding me? It's huge, tells an amazing story. 460 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 2: If you haven't seen it, you need to sit down 461 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:23,920 Speaker 2: with your families and watch it. Yeah, there's so much 462 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:26,359 Speaker 2: meaning there, and it's weird that we didn't serve in 463 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 2: the same exact conflict, right, But at the same time, 464 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:33,200 Speaker 2: like I understand all. 465 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 3: Of those feelings. 466 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:35,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's good. 467 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 2: Like the tears I share, you know what I mean, 468 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:39,479 Speaker 2: It's like we need a brain awareness to it. 469 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:44,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's good. Yeah. Having an opportunity for the families 470 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:46,280 Speaker 1: to learn and to understand if be around other people 471 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:51,439 Speaker 1: is super important. I during that reunion, that was one 472 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:52,680 Speaker 1: of the things I said to my wife, is I 473 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:57,080 Speaker 1: wish our kids were here. It just you know, that's 474 00:24:57,200 --> 00:24:59,119 Speaker 1: It's funny given the work that I do. You know, 475 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 1: I talk about veterans and veterans issues all the time. 476 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:04,959 Speaker 1: My kids know that, but I don't talk about my service. 477 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 1: I don't talk about you know, what I was a 478 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 1: part of. In fact, my senior aged high school senior 479 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:16,359 Speaker 1: age daughter this year had me come in and do 480 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 1: a presentation for one of her classes about Iraq and 481 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:20,720 Speaker 1: my time in Iraq. She like, I've never heard any 482 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:24,040 Speaker 1: of that. And it is important for our families to understand, 483 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:26,160 Speaker 1: you know, where we came from, but understand the good 484 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 1: good as well as you know, some of the challenges 485 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:31,480 Speaker 1: and the other people that were involved. But it's also 486 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:33,680 Speaker 1: really helpful just to have a place to be able 487 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:38,200 Speaker 1: to offload the thoughts and the feelings in that safe environment, 488 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:40,680 Speaker 1: you know, we do need to be aware of surroundings, 489 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 1: but there needs to be a place where you can 490 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:43,600 Speaker 1: be as raw and as real as you want to 491 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:46,960 Speaker 1: and people aren't going to be appalled by what they're hearing. 492 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 1: And then you can go back to you know, civilized 493 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:53,359 Speaker 1: society and you're a better husband, you're a better father, 494 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,159 Speaker 1: you're a better you know whatever, when you've had the 495 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 1: opportunity to offload some of that. So that makes it, 496 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 1: you know, as in what was the catalyst for you 497 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:06,240 Speaker 1: to go all right, the reunion is great, but now 498 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 1: we need to do other events and then how did 499 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:11,399 Speaker 1: you decide what those events were? And maybe talk about 500 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 1: some of the things you guys are currently involved in. 501 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:17,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, the thing is is it's just it's just communicating 502 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:21,320 Speaker 2: with the community, finding out what people like, what things 503 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:24,880 Speaker 2: are missing in people's life, what things they haven't been 504 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:29,879 Speaker 2: giving the opportunity to understand or experience. Just trying to 505 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:33,840 Speaker 2: get opportunities for people to grow. I've learned that personally 506 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 2: myself through my wife. Like there's many times that I'm 507 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 2: just like, no, I don't do that. Before you know what, 508 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:39,640 Speaker 2: I'm out running again. 509 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:43,480 Speaker 1: Like I don't like right, but it's like who does you. 510 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:47,159 Speaker 2: You do things because there's there's meaning behind it, and 511 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,880 Speaker 2: it's like it's it's it's a wonderful thing, and it's 512 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:51,359 Speaker 2: like we can. 513 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 3: Continue, we can continue doing those things. You know. 514 00:26:55,200 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 2: We we want to be able to also continue continue 515 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,720 Speaker 2: growing for the long term, because this isn't something that 516 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:06,920 Speaker 2: we want just just for our time while we're here 517 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:09,959 Speaker 2: on Earth. I wanted this to be ongoing forever. At 518 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 2: the same time, I would love for it to be 519 00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:16,840 Speaker 2: a benchmark for the Marine Corps, for the military infantry units, 520 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:19,199 Speaker 2: you know what I mean, like they should have a 521 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:24,040 Speaker 2: support system in place. And you know what I've really 522 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:27,240 Speaker 2: realized is we have a lot internally. We have a 523 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:29,880 Speaker 2: lot of people's skill sets that are professionals in all 524 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 2: kinds of different fields. But at the same time, everybody's 525 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:38,080 Speaker 2: busy in those fields. So by the organization getting together 526 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:40,960 Speaker 2: and finding ways on how we can best use the 527 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 2: proper tools to get the most out of it, we 528 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:49,040 Speaker 2: realize that we must build our network, we must partner 529 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:54,159 Speaker 2: with groups that have resources outside our reach. Right and 530 00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:57,880 Speaker 2: luckily the Robert Irvine Foundation have the ability to show 531 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:01,960 Speaker 2: me that personally and honestly, if it wasn't for the 532 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 2: Robert Irvine Foundation. I don't believe our our reunions would 533 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:11,359 Speaker 2: have been successful nowhere close. And what was great about 534 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:14,159 Speaker 2: it is we got to let them know our vision, 535 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 2: our story, and him and his team was able to 536 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:21,680 Speaker 2: provide us a safe platform and let us do our job, 537 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:25,359 Speaker 2: let us come up with a full plan and present it. 538 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 2: And then he backed it up one and some and 539 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:32,960 Speaker 2: he did that three consecutive years for us, and I 540 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:34,480 Speaker 2: mean it was it was crazy. 541 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:37,399 Speaker 3: We had the it was three day event there and 542 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 3: Camp Pendleton. 543 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 2: We had the chaplain of the Marine Corps, Chaplain Cash 544 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 2: come out there and give. 545 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:46,320 Speaker 1: Now the Eastern Season Chaplain of the Navy. 546 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's amazing. 547 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 2: It's amazing just to be in the same area as 548 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 2: those warriors, those amazing men like it was just incredible. 549 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 2: And then from there we went off into the Flushah 550 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:02,320 Speaker 2: twenty Years Union. We put a cross up on the 551 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:07,080 Speaker 2: first Sartain's Hill. Captain Edgar Men's his father in law, 552 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 2: his company built the cross for us, and we took 553 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:11,320 Speaker 2: it up there and set. 554 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 3: It up there. 555 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:13,720 Speaker 2: We hung the dog tags on the left or all 556 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 2: our kia and on the right are all our warriors 557 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 2: that have passed after. We want to make sure that 558 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:23,280 Speaker 2: we have a safe place to where people can go 559 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:27,640 Speaker 2: and spend time with our brothers and reminisce and honor 560 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:32,840 Speaker 2: our history on our one five legacy. 561 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: Talk about the the Gunny Boar Award. You guys are 562 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:41,000 Speaker 1: going to be present for that. I've talked about Gunny 563 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 1: Boar recently, I can't remember when, but recently, but maybe 564 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:48,080 Speaker 1: talk about him for a minute and talk about the 565 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: award that's come out of that, because that's that's a 566 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 1: win for the one five Association as well. 567 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:56,120 Speaker 2: I think, oh, it's it's beyond a win, sir. I 568 00:29:56,160 --> 00:30:01,280 Speaker 2: mean yea, honestly, like the man's a giant. He was 569 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 2: my company, Gunny. He came to us in two thousand 570 00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:09,360 Speaker 2: and two when we were like building up the company 571 00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 2: and come. 572 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:12,000 Speaker 3: From s O I. 573 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:18,000 Speaker 2: Very calm, confident, far from arrogant. 574 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:22,560 Speaker 3: You get a lot of staff, n CEOs. 575 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:25,520 Speaker 2: And gunnies with with a lot of attitude and just 576 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 2: how the Marine Corps is. 577 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 3: He was different. He was a definitely different man. 578 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:34,640 Speaker 2: And yeah, we we kicked off into Iraq and we 579 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:38,360 Speaker 2: went into uh we're getting ready to go into Baghdad, 580 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:42,720 Speaker 2: and he was in a soft skin Humvy. We knew 581 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:45,320 Speaker 2: what we're about to go into, so he was asked 582 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:49,760 Speaker 2: to stay back. And as you know, Gunny, where his 583 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 2: boys are going, he's going to be there and if anything, 584 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 2: he's going to try to be first. 585 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:57,040 Speaker 3: And yeah, he didn't make it. 586 00:30:57,120 --> 00:31:01,080 Speaker 2: He he got hit going and right before we ended 587 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 2: up getting into Siddham's palace and we heard. 588 00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 3: It come over the radio that we lost him. And 589 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:10,360 Speaker 3: then we ended up. 590 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:12,480 Speaker 2: Packing back up and Alpha Company went back out to 591 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:17,960 Speaker 2: go take the mosque in Baghdad, which was one wild fight, 592 00:31:18,120 --> 00:31:18,880 Speaker 2: but we ended. 593 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:19,640 Speaker 3: Up losing Gunny. 594 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 2: And you know, I've kept in touch with a few 595 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 2: of his brothers over the years, and this is after 596 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:29,680 Speaker 2: I got back involved with Marine Corps brothers and things, 597 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:33,760 Speaker 2: and I got to learn more about him. At the 598 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:38,040 Speaker 2: same time, I had a rare relationship with him. I 599 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:41,560 Speaker 2: helped out with the armory, so he leaned onto me 600 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 2: for a number of things, as I leaned onto him too, 601 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 2: But it was almost like I was his I was 602 00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 2: his you know, son, far distant son or something. 603 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:53,240 Speaker 3: And he got to the. 604 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:55,640 Speaker 2: Point in Iraq where he would be able to open 605 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:57,640 Speaker 2: up and share stories and stuff with me, and I 606 00:31:57,680 --> 00:32:00,600 Speaker 2: got to see a different side of him. Uh, the 607 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:03,840 Speaker 2: level of empathy that man had and how much he 608 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 2: really cared and the things he looked forward to, but 609 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 2: how strongly he could focus on what needed to be 610 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:14,920 Speaker 2: done no matter the bright lights are loud. 611 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 3: Explosions like you weren't distracting that man. 612 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:27,080 Speaker 2: And anyways, I got a call, or actually I got an. 613 00:32:26,080 --> 00:32:31,720 Speaker 3: Email from Captain Hag He was with one five. 614 00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:37,640 Speaker 2: He was with with us right before we ended up 615 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 2: deploying for the invasion. He was going to become an officer, 616 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:46,520 Speaker 2: so he was a sergeant. He was going to move on. 617 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 2: So he ended up reaching out to me and told 618 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 2: me that Headquarters Marine Corps contacted him and wanted to 619 00:32:56,160 --> 00:32:59,960 Speaker 2: link me up with them because they're looking to nominate 620 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 2: Gunny for the Namesake Award for Outstanding Leadership for three 621 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:07,960 Speaker 2: sixty nine. And right away, I'm like, it's meant to be, 622 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:09,880 Speaker 2: Like this is a sign I gotta jump on this. 623 00:33:10,760 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 2: You know, I reached out to master Guns right away, 624 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:16,600 Speaker 2: and you know, I let him know that, you know, 625 00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:18,480 Speaker 2: I wanted to get in contact with him to learn 626 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:20,480 Speaker 2: more and find out how I can support to make 627 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:24,040 Speaker 2: sure this is done right. And I mean, they were 628 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:27,760 Speaker 2: so professional and so open and like intriguing and it 629 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:32,320 Speaker 2: was just it was awesome. Ended up putting together a 630 00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:37,920 Speaker 2: number of stories from people and and photos. It was 631 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:39,959 Speaker 2: very hard to get photos of that man, but we 632 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:41,120 Speaker 2: were able to get a few. 633 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 1: Of them, and there are many out there. 634 00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, there really isn't. And we ended up getting this submitted. 635 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:51,400 Speaker 2: It went through a review and he was selected. So yeah, 636 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 2: I got to work with the sculptor, I got through 637 00:33:55,200 --> 00:34:00,160 Speaker 2: work with the Marine Corps Association, Colonel Mundy and. 638 00:34:00,680 --> 00:34:03,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, and amazing. 639 00:34:03,680 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 2: It's just I never would have thought twenty plus years 640 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 2: later down the road, you know, a corporal would be 641 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:11,440 Speaker 2: doing something like this like it's it's truly an honor. 642 00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:15,399 Speaker 2: And got to work with the sculptor on you know, 643 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:18,960 Speaker 2: designing what Gunny looks like. Because that award is going 644 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:21,319 Speaker 2: to be given out for the first time this year, 645 00:34:21,360 --> 00:34:24,520 Speaker 2: and we'll be given out annually for the rest of 646 00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:26,600 Speaker 2: the Marine Corps career, which will be forever. 647 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:32,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's awesome, man, good work. I was actually talking 648 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:35,719 Speaker 1: to General Padilla, it's been a few months ago now, 649 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:37,360 Speaker 1: and he was talking to me about that and the 650 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:40,040 Speaker 1: work that you did on it, and he's he's proud 651 00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 1: in the right way, you know, and and rightfully so 652 00:34:45,680 --> 00:34:48,319 Speaker 1: to see Gunny and his family, Gunning Boor and his 653 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:52,000 Speaker 1: family honored that way is is really special. And you 654 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:54,359 Speaker 1: guys will be there, so that's that's special too. 655 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:58,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, there's a good number of us going. Actually, Laurie 656 00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:01,640 Speaker 2: Boor is going to be coming out. We got Rich 657 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:04,440 Speaker 2: Rich is going to be coming out. So yeah, the 658 00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:07,200 Speaker 2: brothers are going to be there, a number of the 659 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 2: Marines from one to five. We got sort of major 660 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:11,879 Speaker 2: green coming out, major journal video of you there. 661 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:17,160 Speaker 1: That's cool, grawesome, man, Ryan, You're doing incredible work and 662 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:18,920 Speaker 1: I think really blazing a trail for a lot of 663 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 1: a lot of other folks, and it's very very important work. 664 00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:24,440 Speaker 1: It's been important to me and I know a lot 665 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:27,000 Speaker 1: of other folks in one five. How can people learn 666 00:35:27,040 --> 00:35:30,680 Speaker 1: more about you? Learn more about the one five Association 667 00:35:30,920 --> 00:35:34,120 Speaker 1: and the work that is being done. A lot of events, 668 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:36,600 Speaker 1: an event coming up, just stuff going on all the time. 669 00:35:36,640 --> 00:35:38,879 Speaker 1: How can people learn more about all that? Yeah? 670 00:35:38,920 --> 00:35:41,720 Speaker 2: No, I appreciate the kind words and the support getting 671 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:43,840 Speaker 2: the word out. We definitely want to do that. We 672 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:45,480 Speaker 2: want to make sure that we reach out to as 673 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:48,480 Speaker 2: many one five Marines and family members that are out there. 674 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:50,759 Speaker 2: It doesn't matter what era, if they were part of 675 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:52,719 Speaker 2: the one five alumni, we want to bring them in. 676 00:35:54,560 --> 00:35:56,560 Speaker 2: One thing I just want to touch on real quick too. 677 00:35:57,520 --> 00:35:59,759 Speaker 2: You know, none of this would be possible if it 678 00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:05,040 Speaker 2: wasn't for the Committee. You know, the committee really holds 679 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:08,840 Speaker 2: things together. They keep things moving forward, and those Marines 680 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:11,759 Speaker 2: like it wouldn't be possible without them, Like it might 681 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:15,640 Speaker 2: be you know, my idea, my face, my voice, but 682 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:18,840 Speaker 2: really they're the ones behind the scenes making it all possible. 683 00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:21,759 Speaker 2: So I got to give them a little bit. 684 00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:24,319 Speaker 3: Of respect there, at least a little bit. 685 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:25,360 Speaker 1: Yeah. 686 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:29,560 Speaker 2: So now other than that, when it comes down to 687 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 2: finding out more about us, you can go through our website, 688 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:38,399 Speaker 2: which is www. First Battalion, fifth Marines Association dot org. 689 00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:41,560 Speaker 2: I know it's pretty long, but you can go there. 690 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:43,440 Speaker 2: You can get quite a bit of information and we're 691 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:47,520 Speaker 2: constantly trying to do continuous improvements on the website. We're 692 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:50,799 Speaker 2: learning as we go, so please work with us. At 693 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:52,840 Speaker 2: the same time, reach out to us, let us know 694 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:55,160 Speaker 2: what we can add right what would you like to 695 00:36:55,200 --> 00:36:59,160 Speaker 2: see right now? We got a little description about our 696 00:36:59,239 --> 00:37:02,040 Speaker 2: upcoming event. We're going to be going over to Scotland 697 00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:06,279 Speaker 2: with Robert Rvine Foundation to do the caterin Yap, which 698 00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:09,799 Speaker 2: is a fifty four mile challenge in just twenty four 699 00:37:09,840 --> 00:37:11,360 Speaker 2: hours in Highland hills. 700 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:14,480 Speaker 3: So it's pretty brutal, but really look forward to it. 701 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:16,960 Speaker 2: There's a total of eleven of us one to five 702 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:18,920 Speaker 2: guys that are going to be going over there in total, 703 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:23,359 Speaker 2: so Betty, pretty pretty amazing. At the same time, we're 704 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:25,239 Speaker 2: going to have some great stories coming out of that, 705 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:29,279 Speaker 2: sharing with people our experiences, our takeaways. At the same time, 706 00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:34,239 Speaker 2: future opportunities if to come up. Other than that, we 707 00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:37,200 Speaker 2: have our social media accounts. We have our Instagram, we 708 00:37:37,239 --> 00:37:39,800 Speaker 2: have our Facebook, we have our LinkedIn. We try to 709 00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:42,879 Speaker 2: keep up with that as much as possible. Sometimes there's 710 00:37:42,920 --> 00:37:46,719 Speaker 2: a little delay, but you know, also we're looking we're 711 00:37:46,719 --> 00:37:49,600 Speaker 2: looking for people to step in and help out. You know, 712 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:53,319 Speaker 2: if you're within the one five alumni, like doesn't matter 713 00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:55,000 Speaker 2: when you serve like, if you want to be a 714 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:57,400 Speaker 2: part of this and you have skills that you can 715 00:37:57,440 --> 00:37:59,279 Speaker 2: bring to the table and help us build this out 716 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:01,560 Speaker 2: for the long term, please don't hesitate. 717 00:38:01,640 --> 00:38:02,600 Speaker 3: We want to bring you in. 718 00:38:03,280 --> 00:38:06,080 Speaker 2: We are we want to be as versatile as possible. 719 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:08,799 Speaker 2: As strong as possible, but at the same time as 720 00:38:08,880 --> 00:38:12,280 Speaker 2: open as possible. Everything that we do goes full circle. 721 00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:16,080 Speaker 2: So just know that we're not looking for any handouts, 722 00:38:16,120 --> 00:38:18,840 Speaker 2: but what we are as looking for long term relationships. 723 00:38:20,080 --> 00:38:23,920 Speaker 1: It's it's crazy. I've been speaking at MCRD recently about 724 00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:26,200 Speaker 1: once a quarter, I'll speak there to the recruits and 725 00:38:26,239 --> 00:38:29,760 Speaker 1: it's it's cool, but it's also like super humbling because 726 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:34,200 Speaker 1: you know, they're like younger than my kids, So it's 727 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:37,279 Speaker 1: it's just funny to see two thousand recruits sitting in 728 00:38:37,560 --> 00:38:40,680 Speaker 1: the auditorium and like, man, it's like these are teenagers. 729 00:38:41,360 --> 00:38:42,759 Speaker 1: But I have the same thought every time I go 730 00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:46,080 Speaker 1: in there that you know, what we did was important, 731 00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:48,400 Speaker 1: but what we're building is for them. It's for the 732 00:38:48,440 --> 00:38:53,040 Speaker 1: next for that generation, right And and to hear you 733 00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:56,600 Speaker 1: talk about you know what's being built, it really is. 734 00:38:56,640 --> 00:38:58,640 Speaker 1: We're going to be gone someday. There's a whole other 735 00:38:58,719 --> 00:39:02,200 Speaker 1: group of young Marines who're gonna be old Marines at 736 00:39:02,239 --> 00:39:04,000 Speaker 1: some point, and they're going to need the same support, 737 00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:06,759 Speaker 1: the same systems, and we have an opportunity to impact that. 738 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:12,600 Speaker 1: So yeah, get involved. If you're not get involved, be 739 00:39:12,680 --> 00:39:16,319 Speaker 1: a part of it and plug in ask questions. If 740 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:19,439 Speaker 1: you're not doing anything right, now do something right. There's 741 00:39:19,480 --> 00:39:23,799 Speaker 1: always opportunity. Yeah, it's awesome, man. Well, thank you Ryan. 742 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:27,680 Speaker 1: I really appreciate it. Very grateful for you and the 743 00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:30,560 Speaker 1: committee and many other folks who've been involved in making 744 00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:33,359 Speaker 1: this happen. But it's special, so thank you for doing it. 745 00:39:33,880 --> 00:39:35,920 Speaker 3: Thank you, sir. It's been an honor meeting with you. 746 00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:37,520 Speaker 3: It's been an honor doing this. 747 00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:40,280 Speaker 2: And I just want everybody to know that our stories 748 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:42,120 Speaker 2: shall never go unto simplify. 749 00:39:42,440 --> 00:39:46,120 Speaker 1: Make peace your die. That's good, that's it. Thank you 750 00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:50,400 Speaker 1: for watching, Thank you for listening. Subscribe share. This is 751 00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:54,240 Speaker 1: an important episode to share out. And you know, someone 752 00:39:54,280 --> 00:39:57,640 Speaker 1: who has service looking for a place to connect. I 753 00:39:57,640 --> 00:40:01,400 Speaker 1: get asked all the time, my family only member they serve, 754 00:40:01,480 --> 00:40:03,400 Speaker 1: they won't talk to anyone, they don't know where to go. 755 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:06,480 Speaker 1: What should they do. We'll start by sharing content like 756 00:40:06,520 --> 00:40:11,239 Speaker 1: this out, pointing them to the association. You know, I'll 757 00:40:11,239 --> 00:40:13,400 Speaker 1: say this, if they didn't serve in one five but 758 00:40:13,400 --> 00:40:17,440 Speaker 1: they're lost, point them to the association, and we'll get 759 00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:19,960 Speaker 1: them in the right place. That's how you that's how 760 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:23,160 Speaker 1: you start. So appreciate you all. Thanks for watching. Thanks 761 00:40:23,200 --> 00:40:24,640 Speaker 1: for listening. Talk to you next week.