Marine infantry recruit drops 186 pounds to make it to boot camp
STARS AND STRIPES
By IMMANUEL JOHNSON
Published: May 28, 2020
Gabriel Ramirez spent his childhood dreaming of being a Marine, but that dream seemed unattainable as a 365-pound teen nicknamed “Meatball.”
Gabriel Mendez Ramirez lost 186 pounds on his way to becoming a Marine recruit. Ramirez, from Oceanside, Calif., graduated from Rancho Buena Vista High School last year and recently headed to boot camp.
BERNADETTE PLOUFFE/U.S. MARINE CORPS
This week, Ramirez, 18, was on his way to boot camp, 186 pounds lighter.
At the end of Ramirez’s sophomore year at Rancho Buena Vista High School in California, Marine recruiter Staff Sgt. Anna Rodrigues spoke to his class and later asked him about his interests.
“The kids I talk to, one thing I look for is heart,” Rodrigues said in a phone interview Wednesday. “I am looking for someone that won’t quit and will accept the challenge.” read it here
There is no way of sugar coating it. Life sucks right now! Over 100,000 Americans died because of a pandemic and over a million have been infected. Over 40 million are unemployed now, businesses are closing for good and states struggle to figure out how to reopen things the best way possible. Too many people have dismissed the guidelines of how to stop the spread and only seem to care about enjoying themselves without regarding the other people in their lives they deliver the infection to.
Yes, things suck right now if you only look at what is wrong. Yet if you look at the flip side of all of this, there are many good things going on because people wondered what they could do to make life better for others.
People are stepping up and showing up, in whatever way they can. One of them is Dolly Parton.
Veteran founder of multimillion-dollar company: 'This is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life'
FOX
By Matt London
May 26, 2020
The founder and CEO of Black Rifle Coffee Company, Evan Hafer, said he would rather return to combat than face rebuilding his business again from scratch.
"This is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life and I'm a former Green Beret [who] spent seven years in combat zones," Hafer told veteran correspondent Lara Logan on her Fox Nation show "No Agenda with Lara Logan."
In Season 3 of "No Agenda," Logan investigates the current state of affairs of America's veterans through the eyes of those who served — from veteran entrepreneurs to those carrying out humanitarian missions, to wounded warriors on the front lines of the veteran suicide crisis.
Hafer started Black Rifle Coffee in his Salt Lake City garage five years ago. Prior to that, he spent about 300 days a year, for a decade, deployed to some of the most remote and hostile regions of the world, with both the U.S. special forces and the CIA.
Today, Black Rifle Coffee is one of the most successful veteran-owned businesses in America, though Hafer said the company nearly never made it.
"I remember I was in my garage sitting on a box and, you know, I'm like looking around and I have nothing else. And I was like starting to cry," said Hafer, recalling how he sold nearly everything he owned to keep his business afloat.
"For years, I told myself all these things, you know, like you're a special forces guy, you're CIA, you know, 1 percent of 1 percent. Why can't I make this work?" he told Logan, explaining that he reached a turning point. read it here
Homeless army veteran gifted bicycle by Essex Police
Epping Forest Guardian UK
By Lewis Berrill
May 26, 2020
“I finally feel as though my life is beginning to get back on track. It’s now up to me to push myself and make positive changes.”
34-year-old army veteran Jaime was gifted a bike by Essex Police. Photo: Essex
Police
Jamie had been sleeping on the streets after leaving the armed forces but with the support of military veteran charity Project Nova has been housed in emergency accommodation in Grays.
On Monday, May 18 the 34-year-old veteran asked the charity to help him find a push bike.
Project Nova launched an appeal and within 48 hours, Detective Inspector Rob Staples and Inspector Matt Crow of Essex Police located one in Harlow.
Most of the people in the US are really patriots doing whatever they can for their country. They put others ahead of their own lives. Sure they want to be out in the sunshine and enjoying their lives, but right now the priority is saving lives.
This is the difference between what a real patriot is, and what others want to pretend to be.
Patriot
a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors. "a true patriot"
This is what a patriot does!
And stands up against those who pretend to be patriots!
These people wave flags and pretend to be fighting for "freedom" but they are selfish and do not care how what they are doing spreads death!
