Send us a text Former Army veteran Ernie Mariscal shares his powerful journey from troubled youth to military service and his struggle with PTSD after combat deployment. • Growing up in Brawley, California and dropping out of school at 16 to live on the streets • Finding direction after a life-threatening encounter with a gunman at a drug house • Joining the Army in 1991 and experiencing the culture shock of basic training • Deploying to Iraq in 2004 as a Staff Sergeant in charge of recovery operations • Witnessing the aftermath of combat violence, including retrieving a Humvee after a fatal RPG attack • Struggling with alcoholism, PTSD, and failed relationships after returning home • Reaching the breaking point after retirement, cycling through five jobs and contemplating suicide • Finding purpose through speaking to at-risk youth, which became his saving grace • Building a new life focused on speaking, running his businesses, and maintaining his mental health • Creating Keep Up the Fight cigars and apparel as part of his mission to help others struggling with similar challenges For bookings and more information, find Ernie Mariscal on Instagram, Facebook, or visit keepuptofightapparel.com. Support the show
