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Louie Garcia - United States Marine Corps

Louie enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in the fall of 1993 and began his four-year stint in August 1994. He was assigned to an amphibious assault crew and became crew chief of a 26-ton vehicle. Civilians who have never seen an amphibious assault vehicle – used to transport Marines from ships to beaches, and through hostile territory –  are often amazed by their sheer size and firepower.

During this assignment, Louie learned to operate a variety of weapons, including M-16 and M203 rifles, a M240 SAW 50-caliber machine gun, a MK19 automatic grenade launcher, mortar launchers, and a Howitzer artillery gun. (The history of the Howitzer – originally a cannon on wheels – goes back hundreds of years.) Louie admits he only fired the Howitzer once, but that it was a “cool experience”.

Louie also mentioned watching a B1 bomber airplane drop a 500-pound bomb from a distance. It took over a minute from the bomb’s detonation for the sound to be heard – an experience he still remembers as truly amazing. Later in his career, he spent nine months on dry land as a marksmanship instructor before completing his enlistment and attending college.

His main take-away from his time in the Marines? “Team work and integrity go a long way in life. It worked for me as a Marine, and now as a civilian.”