Over and over you’ll find stories of the Pheonix rising from the ashes when it comes to humans making a difference in the world, Gary Polk is no different.
At six-months-old, he entered the foster care system and spent his childhood in and out of over twenty-five foster homes and twelve group homes. Gary went through many of the things you imagine happening when you think of a child going from place to place, the dark and the ugly, the scars - physical and mental.
And then the terrorists attacked us on American soil. The towers fell and a man started to rise from the ashes.
Gary enlisted in the Marine Corps. Even after a government system had failed him, he was pulled to serve and defend his country.
During his four combat tours in Iraq, Gary became Chops International. A persona that if you don’t know already, you will come to love as much as all of those around Chops.
Chops left the Marine Corps as a Purple Heart recipient and for quite a few years struggled with the societal expectations of living a quiet life, the day to day grind of a nine to five when deep down he burned to do something bigger and better for not only himself but for his brothers and friends.
Much of Chop’s life has been fighting battles, it was time for the good. It was time to follow his dream, dig deep and get hype.
So what does a foster kid, combat marine, Purple heart recipient dream of? Changing the lives of children and veterans. Sounds about right.
In Chop’s own words “I want to be a voice for the forgotten, a pillar of strength for the weak and hurting, a game changer and a trailblazer! I want to be a spark-plug for love, acceptance, and change while embracing all walks of life without concerning or dwelling on an individual’s race, religion, political affiliation or social status. I want to be a man who can unite our divided, fractured country and can be a difference maker for future generations.”
Over the next year, Chops is hitting the road and going across the country with his video podcast, The Chops International Show.
Chops will be interviewing veteran-owned small businesses and showing America exactly what each business does and the story behind it. You can watch Chops work a day in the life at these different businesses, earning a day’s pay and allowing him to travel to the next destination. What better way to support the men and women who fight for our country than by supporting their businesses after they have left the military?
Now you have one part of the goal, the other part is pretty damn inspiring.
This past year the Semper-Fi Fund funded a reunion for Chops and his brothers from Iraq. They were hosted by an amazing couple who spend their days having service members to their ranch. Chops and the guys were able to reconnect, decompress, and have one hell of a good time.
Chops wants to take that foundation but add in a separate aspect that allows children in the system to go to camp. A retreat for veterans, a camp for children based in the mountains of Tennessee. Right now Chops International is in the process of starting a 501c3 and updates will be posted along the way!
Get ready for the official launch in April when Chops International hits Texas and gets this show on the road. It’s time for Chops to finally fully rise from the ashes and take us all along with him.
