Blake Cook

I'm like, I'm not going to McDonald's. I'm like, no, we'll figure this out. I hear this guy. He's like, hey, man, you okay? And I look up. He's kind of a bigger dude. He's got the old digital camo on. It said United States Army. I was like, ah, man, I'm not doing so good. I'm like, my mom's about to kick me out of the house. I need a job. He's like, you need a job? How old are you?

I'm like, ah, at that point I was 20. I'm like, I'm 20. He goes, come on inside. Let me talk to you. He's like, what do you do for fun? I'm like, man, I play Call of Duty. He was like, oh yeah. He goes, let me talk to you about real life Call of Duty. It's just like Call of Duty. I was like, dude, just like Call of Duty? I'm like, I'm down. I'm like, let's go. We go inside.

I'm like, ah, at that point I was 20. I'm like, I'm 20. He goes, come on inside. Let me talk to you. He's like, what do you do for fun? I'm like, man, I play Call of Duty. He was like, oh yeah. He goes, let me talk to you about real life Call of Duty. It's just like Call of Duty. I was like, dude, just like Call of Duty? I'm like, I'm down. I'm like, let's go. We go inside.

I'm like, ah, at that point I was 20. I'm like, I'm 20. He goes, come on inside. Let me talk to you. He's like, what do you do for fun? I'm like, man, I play Call of Duty. He was like, oh yeah. He goes, let me talk to you about real life Call of Duty. It's just like Call of Duty. I was like, dude, just like Call of Duty? I'm like, I'm down. I'm like, let's go. We go inside.

I do the little, like, computer ASVAB thing, got my score. He's like, what do you want to do? I'm like, I don't know. He goes, how about the infantry? I was like, what's it like? He goes, call of duty, man. He goes, front lines. He goes, just like the game you play, all the cool gear. I was like, yeah, I want to do that. He's like, all right, cool. Signed up, got a ship date from, like,

I do the little, like, computer ASVAB thing, got my score. He's like, what do you want to do? I'm like, I don't know. He goes, how about the infantry? I was like, what's it like? He goes, call of duty, man. He goes, front lines. He goes, just like the game you play, all the cool gear. I was like, yeah, I want to do that. He's like, all right, cool. Signed up, got a ship date from, like,

I do the little, like, computer ASVAB thing, got my score. He's like, what do you want to do? I'm like, I don't know. He goes, how about the infantry? I was like, what's it like? He goes, call of duty, man. He goes, front lines. He goes, just like the game you play, all the cool gear. I was like, yeah, I want to do that. He's like, all right, cool. Signed up, got a ship date from, like,

That ship date was in January or December of 2010. And I go home. I'm playing video games. And she goes, you're still here. Did you get a job? I'm like, I did. She goes, oh, man, I'm so proud of you. She goes, what are you doing? I'm like, I'm going to join the Army. She's like. oh my God, I killed my baby. Tell him you can't go. I was like, I don't think that's how that works, Mom.

That ship date was in January or December of 2010. And I go home. I'm playing video games. And she goes, you're still here. Did you get a job? I'm like, I did. She goes, oh, man, I'm so proud of you. She goes, what are you doing? I'm like, I'm going to join the Army. She's like. oh my God, I killed my baby. Tell him you can't go. I was like, I don't think that's how that works, Mom.

That ship date was in January or December of 2010. And I go home. I'm playing video games. And she goes, you're still here. Did you get a job? I'm like, I did. She goes, oh, man, I'm so proud of you. She goes, what are you doing? I'm like, I'm going to join the Army. She's like. oh my God, I killed my baby. Tell him you can't go. I was like, I don't think that's how that works, Mom.

I'm like, I've already signed paperwork. I'm fully committed. She goes, oh my God, I killed him. She's like all hysterical. I'm like, no, no. And then my stepdad's like, no, it's good for him. He'll be all right with him. My grandpa was in Vietnam. My grandpa called her and was like, Tammy, he needs it. My uncle was in the Air Force. He needs it. He is a bum right now. He has no guidance.

I'm like, I've already signed paperwork. I'm fully committed. She goes, oh my God, I killed him. She's like all hysterical. I'm like, no, no. And then my stepdad's like, no, it's good for him. He'll be all right with him. My grandpa was in Vietnam. My grandpa called her and was like, Tammy, he needs it. My uncle was in the Air Force. He needs it. He is a bum right now. He has no guidance.

I'm like, I've already signed paperwork. I'm fully committed. She goes, oh my God, I killed him. She's like all hysterical. I'm like, no, no. And then my stepdad's like, no, it's good for him. He'll be all right with him. My grandpa was in Vietnam. My grandpa called her and was like, Tammy, he needs it. My uncle was in the Air Force. He needs it. He is a bum right now. He has no guidance.

There's no discipline. All right, because I've been handed everything because of football. High school, like it's Friday, you have a game tonight, put your head down, take a nap. Basketball, Tuesday, Fridays, take a nap. You want to go, hey, I'm kind of hungry. I can't play tonight on an empty stomach. Hey, well, go down to the cafeteria, see if they'll feed you. Like, babied all through school.

There's no discipline. All right, because I've been handed everything because of football. High school, like it's Friday, you have a game tonight, put your head down, take a nap. Basketball, Tuesday, Fridays, take a nap. You want to go, hey, I'm kind of hungry. I can't play tonight on an empty stomach. Hey, well, go down to the cafeteria, see if they'll feed you. Like, babied all through school.

There's no discipline. All right, because I've been handed everything because of football. High school, like it's Friday, you have a game tonight, put your head down, take a nap. Basketball, Tuesday, Fridays, take a nap. You want to go, hey, I'm kind of hungry. I can't play tonight on an empty stomach. Hey, well, go down to the cafeteria, see if they'll feed you. Like, babied all through school.

Didn't do anything in school. I failed myself as a young kid, but the people that were supposed to be molding me didn't do that either. So I had no drive, no discipline, no nothing. So I get sent to Fort Benning, Georgia, and I'm like, oh my God. What did I sign up for? As soon as I get off the bus, everybody's yelling. It's complete chaos. People are holding bags over their heads.

Didn't do anything in school. I failed myself as a young kid, but the people that were supposed to be molding me didn't do that either. So I had no drive, no discipline, no nothing. So I get sent to Fort Benning, Georgia, and I'm like, oh my God. What did I sign up for? As soon as I get off the bus, everybody's yelling. It's complete chaos. People are holding bags over their heads.

Didn't do anything in school. I failed myself as a young kid, but the people that were supposed to be molding me didn't do that either. So I had no drive, no discipline, no nothing. So I get sent to Fort Benning, Georgia, and I'm like, oh my God. What did I sign up for? As soon as I get off the bus, everybody's yelling. It's complete chaos. People are holding bags over their heads.

I'm like, I didn't see this on Call of Duty. This wasn't on Call of Duty. No, it wasn't. Y'all supposed to hand me some sexy stuff. I got a bag and y'all are yelling at me. So I did basic, right? My recruiter didn't give me anything in my contract. Nothing. I didn't have anything. So about two months in, and I started asking people what they're doing.