My name is Matt. I’m a Marine Corps veteran. I served in Iraq and Afghanistan. That’s the short version. The long version lives in the quiet moments—when the noise dies down and the memories don’t. This reel isn’t about glory. It’s about identity. About carrying service with you long after the uniform comes off. About learning how to stand in the present while honoring the past without being owned by it. I’ve learned that strength isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s just showing up, doing the work

Week 4 brings Basic Water Survival Training…also known as swim qual. By definition, the Marine Corps is an amphibious assault force. Therefore all Marine recruits are required to know how to survive in the water. Recruits receive basic water survival training at the indoor pool, which is safely conducted by specially trained instructors. Training in combat water survival develops a recruit’s confidence in the water. All recruits train in the camouflage utility uniform, but those upgrading may be