Stories
Veterans, first responders and the people around them, telling their own stories. Written between 2020 and 2022, and still the best explanation of why any of this exists.
These are long-form pieces, most of them first person. If you only read one, make it Origins of 22 Jumps, which is Tristan’s account of how a single BASE jump for his brother turned into an organisation.
Many will say the military is perfect for people with little to no direction in life. I’ll buy it for some, but for most, time in uniform allows Americans like myself the opportunity to be members of incredible teams, highlight…
After I graduated from Montana State University in 2016, I took a nursing position at a small, rural hospital in Moab, Utah — but then the pandemic hit. Like many people, I wanted to find more ways to help. I…
Growing up I was blessed to not fully be exposed to the severity of the mental health crisis that is affecting the United States. My ignorance in this area became apparent when I first stepped foot into the United States…
My name is Brent Lake, I was born in Stow Ohio, surrounded by an incredible family. I stayed there for 18 years, went to private, then public school until high school graduation. I lived in Stow with my mom and…
November 8, 2004, shortly after midnight, we entered the mostly unhabituated city of Fallujah in Iraq. The mission was clear: 1st battalion 3rd Marines — the unit I was a part of — and five other infantry battalions would recapture…
My name is Mike Murphy and I am a 30-year-old active-duty Marine. In my free time, I work as a tandem and Advanced Free Fall Skydiving Instructor. I met Tristan BASE jumping and always admired his efforts with 22 Jumps.…
I have served in the Army for eleven years. For the past six, I’ve been serving on the United States Army parachute team, the Golden Knights, as a tandem instructor and videographer. By means of my parachute demonstrations for the…
I was in high school at age 17 achieving mediocre grades with little sense of direction. As I looked toward what was next, the only option seemed to be college. After all, it was what was expected of a kid…
The Invisible War: Life after a Traumatic Brain Injury Throughout my career in the Marine Corps, beginning with my first deployment, I was exposed to blast exposures without any knowledge of how they could affect me. From wall charges to…
I took another sip from the Pabst Blue Ribbon bottle as I lazily turned to my friend and fellow Marine Corps veteran, Ian. “Man, I’m off probation now. [hiccup] I think we should do something fun next weekend instead of…
The first time I watched my brother Kiernan BASE jump, I was mesmerized. Jumping off a cliff with a parachute looked like it was the most fun thing in the world, and I was confident that if Kiernan and I…
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