It is that time of year again when we at Stack Up get ready to really let our geek flag fly! We are busily getting ready for our next Air Assault trip to San Diego Comic Con!
Each year thousands of geeks flock to the sunny shores of San Diego to partake in all things, nerd! Geek culture will be on full display from comics and games, film and TV, cosplay, and more.
It is four days celebrating what we all love, and Stack-Up is bringing along some amazing Veterans as Air Assaults to join in on all the fun! Keep reading to learn a bit more about these awesome Vets and their love of comics!
Vergia Farrow
Favorite Comics/Publishers: Marvel Comics (Squirrel Girl, Moon Knight, Deadpool, Gwenpool, Old Man Logan)
Vergia Farrow was born and raised in Illinois. In June 2006, a month after graduating high school, she joined the US Army as a Chemical Operations Specialist.
After 2 years, she reclassed to Air Traffic Control specialist and served 11.5 years Active Duty. In October 2017, she transitioned to the National Guard to spend more time with her 5-year-old son.
Vergia is an avid gamer and spends most of her time playing Final Fantasy, Monster Hunter World, Diablo 3, and Overwatch. Gaming has allowed her an outlet to escape when stress builds up, as well as remain connected to friends in and out of military service.
Vergia is attending college as a Ceramics major to teach Ceramics to high schoolers. She also makes costumes and props to cosplay in her spare time.
Ethan Ward
Favorite Comics/Publishers: Marvel, Amazing Spider-Man
I come from a military family, and it was always when I was gonna join, never a why. I joined February of 2006 and got out February of 2011. I was lucky to be stationed in Cali and Hawaii for most of my service and a year in beautiful Iraq lol.
I was a Filipino translator at first, then got into trouble and switched to a Blackhawk mechanic, which helped me out in the long run because I now work on F15/F16 engines as a civilian.
Gaming/Comics/Cosplay have helped me a lot. They are able to get me to focus on something else and drive me to be better at it. When it comes to comics, I get lost in the story and artwork and forget where I’m at. Gaming I’m able to strategize with friends online and form battle plans like I was back in the service, and helps keep me distracted from real life. Cosplay helps me keep my idle hands at home busy, allows me to transform myself into my favorite characters from comics and gaming. Plus, the community is so amazing.
Thanks to my army training, I have been able to adapt and overcome some struggles I’ve faced in games and cosplay building, plus I’ve been able to reach out to other vets in those communities for help and advice. It’s been simply wonderful.
Brandon Teson
Favorite Comics/Publishers: The Punisher, Green Lantern
My name is Brandon Teson I’m 27 and grew up in between Bellflower, CA and Stockton, Ca, but I call Jacksonville, FL home. From a young age, the military wasn’t a possibility but rather a certainty I knew where I was going.
While In high school, I did 4 years of NJROTC and a ton of sports, anything to get me ready mentally or physically for the rigors that would be the Marine Corps. In 2009 After completing Boot Camp and the school of infantry, I was sent to 1st Battalion 2nd Marines 2nd Marine Division in Jacksonville, NC, as an 0341 Infantry Mortarman.
As 2009 came to a close and deployment was just 3 months away, I was in a head-on car accident returning from pre-deployment leave, suffering a TBI and compressed spine and left knee injury. After spending almost a year in Physical therapy, Occupational Therapy, cognitive rehab, I had to fight a pending medical separation seen as unfit to continue.
With the support of the Marines in my platoon, I was able to prove to the Medical staff that I could continue to serve. We took off for The 24th MEU on board LHD-7 IWO JIMA In 2012 and took part in operation Eager Lion, a training event with allied nations.
After separation from the Marines in 2013, I decided to continue to serve in my local community by becoming an EMT then a Paramedic and FireFighter. Currently, I work in a level 1 trauma center UF Health. I understand this bio is long, but like most good games, it takes some time to get through.
Gaming/ Comics have always been important and apart of my life from My Dads sega that we would sneak in to play to the PlayStation I have in my living room today, and it still to this day benefits me in my everyday life and even work if you could believe that! Aside from the practical benefits, it is a way for me to stay connected to the Marines who mean so much to me and to whom I owe so much. Semper Fi Devils
These Veterans couldn’t be more ready to hit the ground in sunny California for some geeky goodness!
We want to also say a special thank you to the folks at 6 Foot LLC for thier support in helping to make this Air Assault trip to happen!
Make sure to stand by, as we will have some amazing pictures and video after the event to share with all of you. You can also follow us on Twitter to keep up with all the action all weekend long!
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