11/11/2025
20 years ago this year, as an 19 year old new soldier to Ft. Lewis, WA, I was assigned to battalion Mortar platoon, HHT, 2 squadron, 2nd Calvary Regiment. The unit was just starting up as a Stryker unit and we didn’t even have weapons yet.
There I met a group of guys that I didn’t realize would become my absolute family. We would sweat together, bleed together, and fight together. We trained for 2 1/2 years, re-flagged to HHC, 2nd Battalion 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. Then we deployed to Iraq for 15 months.
We built a bond during that time that’s lasted through all these years and they are still my brothers.
This Veterans Day, I’m sitting on a plane heading back to Florida as I write this. I just spent the past 5 days with these guys at our annual reunion.
Happy Veterans Day to all Vets!