I was very young when I decided I wanted to join the military. But at 16 a real fire started and I knew I had to get moving. I wanted to be a Marine. I was 320 pounds and not active at all. I was living with my father who was an Outlaw and was never home and the paranoia of someone coming to our house looking for drugs or anything to steal was huge. So I reached out to my mother and pulled myself away, my childhood was full of this fear. I joined a boxing gym, moved in with my mother and start laying tile all in a matter of weeks. I am now 17 turning 18 in February and am now 200 and still losing. Losing my father and his side of the family in the process was terrible and haunts me sometimes even a year later, but losing the weight and keeping a job and buying my now second vehicle took more than I ever had to give. I leave for boot camp in August of 2018 and plan to go recon. I train my ass off and listen to you guys everyday. Keep doing what your doing guys. Its affecting a lot more people than you think.