Supply Crate – Dominic

Here's a Supply Crate update before we all head off into the weekend. Dominic put together a well-written request detailing his time in service.

I joined the Marines on November 27, 2006 and was sent to MCRD San Diego. After boot camp I went to School of infantry where I became a machine gunner. Once I was all done with boot camp and S.O.I. I was sent to Camp Lejeune with 2/8 Echo Co. I left for my first deployment to Ramadi Iraq where I was a gunner in an MRAP. Did my 7 month tour and came back to the states. After Iraq I was sent to 2/8 Wpns Co. to be a gunner for a CAAT Platoon. I deployed to Helmand Afghanistan. Coming back from a patrol our truck ran over a 100lb I.E.D. killing the driver Lcpl. Jeremy Lasher instantly and later also taking the life of our vehicle commander Cpl. Nick Xiarhos. Our Corpsman and myself were ejected from the Humvee. From the blast I over went a right foot below the knee amputation along with a talus fracture to my left ankle which lead to a limb salvage. Peppered with shrapnel to this day, ptsd, tbi, and minor burns and scars are some of my minor injuries I sustained. I was sent to Walter Reed Army Medical center where I spent the next 3 years recovering and completing my Medical Board and separation from the Marine Corps. After the countless surgeries and hours of therapy I was medically retired from the Marine Corps in 2012. I feel I would make a good candidate for a supply crate because gaming is a release and coping skill that I frequently fall back on when I am stressed. I play call of duty and battlefield with other veterans that I am not able to physically spend time with because of where they live. Gaming is a way for me to keep in contact with other vets I served with as well as some gold star brothers of mine from our Afghan deployment. Gaming gives me a place to go when I can’t be outside or have time restrictions, it allows me to take a break from the stresses of life in a safe way. The supply crate will positively impact my life because it will allow me to escape to a safe space when my mental health isn’t at its best. It will also help because I just recently had my first child just 3 weeks ago, a supply crate will allow me the release that I might need in bad days while keeping me close enough to my family during this huge life change. Having this supply crate will also help me be in the best mental health for my family when they need me. Eventually, I would like to share gaming with my daughter and have that be something we are able to do together. Thank you

Thank you for sharing so much with us, Dominic. While not all Veterans have the same experiences, we have all been through the kinds of events where gaming ended up being our safe haven, as it has become for Dominic. We're hoping that by sending out a Supply Crate to Vets like him and ourselves, we can help them find some peace and enjoyment.

I want to say how much I appreciate this supply crate! Thank you guys so much, I’m so stoked to start gaming with some of my buddies online! This I really going to help when I need some time to relax. Thank you again!!

Have fun gaming, Dominic.