CAREERops 12 grew up in a small Virginia farm town. When asked what prompted him to join the Marines, he said, “My little brother and I worked on an Angus cattle farm from the time we were in the eighth grade through high school. We got close to the gentleman who owned that farm, and he was a former Army Ranger and did a lot of work with the Green Berets and CIA, and my dad is also a veteran. Those two gentlemen and one of my best friends from high school played the largest roles in influ- encing me to want to join the military. I wanted to see what I was capable of. I was based out of Camp Lejeune 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines (2/9) Golf Company and 2/9 Weapons Company on my sec- ond deployment. I was deployed to Afghanistan twice. The first time, I was sent to Southern Hel- mand to conduct security patrols out of P.B. Beirut, and the second time, I was attached to British Tiger Teams, and we teamed up with the Brits and Afghan Special Forces. We did helicopter raids all over Northern Helmand. I turned 19 on Paris Island and 20 in Afghanistan. I was active- duty for four years.” Just prior to Colton transitioning out, the Ma- rine Corps was going through a significant transi- tion from wartime to peacetime. The prospect of transitioning out brought mixed emotions for Colton. “I was excited and nervous at the same time,” he said. “I was married at the time. I knew I wanted to pursue welding way before I heard about the VIP program or the United Association. I had never welded before. I just knew I wanted to get into it. I knew college wouldn’t be the best option for me coming right out of the military. I have a lot of friends who tried to go to college right after the Samuel “Colton” Jackson that Creates a Foundation A Brotherhood for Success