About Me
Back in the summer of 2002 I spent every day with my Boyz at the beach and playing Beer Pong and crashing parties at night. We formed an identity feared by all... We were known as "Team Shoop", and we rolled deep ! ! ! We were steeling the center of attention at parties and setting up shop in the middle of everything (Beer Pong games). I think I remember a kid saying "Who are those guys?" while his friend looked at him as if he had committed a sin. He replied "That's Team Shoop, they are gods" ! ! haha but anyway, had a lot of fun back then and I miss those crazy mo fo's.
I Joined the Marine Corps in January after the holiday season. I was selected to go to 2nd F.A.S.T. Company for a a little over half my enlistment. My first deployment was to Japan where I got to travel all down S.E. Asia on the "Essex"(small aircraft carrier), seeing some of the most beautiful places in the world, along with some real depressing places, ha. We def had a lot of fun no matter where we were though. Even more so in the dumps like Thailand, haha. (inside joke for my boys in old 1st.) On Thanksgiving (night), I met my beautifull girlfriend Jess, who has been way more supportive then I ever would have imagined.
A few months later, I then left for Rota Spain for another 7 month pump. We pretty much cruised around on the "Saipan" for a little while and got to do some really good training, not to mention see some bad-ass countries. We've worked with the Special Forces Units from a bunch of countries, including our very own SEAL's in Sicily and Green Berets/SF guys in Germany. However our joint operation training got cut short due to some world events. We got lucky enough to do the mission in Africa, transporting/repatriating about 400 POW's from Algeria and brought them back to Morroco.
We got back from Europe sometime in September, 2005. My girlfriend Jess was obviously thrilled in my return, and things couldn't have been better. To top it all off, it looked like I wouldn't be deploying again due to me "lack of time" left in my enlistment. My contract with F.A.S.T. Co. was now long overdue and it was time for me to move on. Unfortunately I had to leave some very good marines that I've spent most of my time with. I went to a victor unit, 3/8 India Co. 3rd plt. What a change in pace it was for me. These marines are nowhere near what I was used to... Less stressed, don't give a shit about anything but "the mission", and all about relaxing once the jobs done. These guys are great though and we're def. ready for anything.
I found out soon after that we would be deploying for Iraq in a few short months. The hardest thing I ever had to do was break the news to my Mother, Father, and Jess. I was told so many times "you don't really have enough time to deploy again", that I told everyone just that. So you can imagine the shock they had...
So next on the list was a month long training Op in California as a last minute "fine tunning" on tactics. Then in early March we left the United States, 3rd time, and began my final deployment. We went to the "Toughest piece of dirt" in Iraq says CNN., in Ramadi. It quickly became home though, as we patrolled those very same streets we've heard so much about. Our advancement through the city was constant, but with far too many US casualties. Thankfully all of my good friends and I made it back, with only a few wonded...
My platoon in Iraq consisted of some of the most respected, and trusted marines in the company. Our success in the city of Ramadi has proven that. I truely feel thankfull for all the good marines I've worked with over all the years. It's been one hell of a good time serving with all of them. But it's time for me to move on with my life, get out of the Marine Corps, and retire my M4. My only wishes now are to stay in touch with my good friends as time goes on, they are, and will always be my brothers... Semper Fi.
