Dino Mavrookas

So we finished the run, we come out and they're like, and I'm expecting to get like lit up. They're yell, scream or do all these things. And then they're just going to send me home. They're like, Hey, so one of the rules that we have during training is don't shoot through open doors. It was a hallway, it was a really long hallway with an opening at the end.

So we finished the run, we come out and they're like, and I'm expecting to get like lit up. They're yell, scream or do all these things. And then they're just going to send me home. They're like, Hey, so one of the rules that we have during training is don't shoot through open doors. It was a hallway, it was a really long hallway with an opening at the end.

I don't know if we really call that an open door, but just don't do that again. I was like, okay, check. Then, and then I learned things after the fact too, and then there was this. So then after they told me not to do that again They gave me a really interesting pun. They had me go carry two 20-pound medicine balls. And I had to carry them like they were my balls.

I don't know if we really call that an open door, but just don't do that again. I was like, okay, check. Then, and then I learned things after the fact too, and then there was this. So then after they told me not to do that again They gave me a really interesting pun. They had me go carry two 20-pound medicine balls. And I had to carry them like they were my balls.

I don't know if we really call that an open door, but just don't do that again. I was like, okay, check. Then, and then I learned things after the fact too, and then there was this. So then after they told me not to do that again They gave me a really interesting pun. They had me go carry two 20-pound medicine balls. And I had to carry them like they were my balls.

And they made me scream at the top of my lungs, I'm so ballsy. And everybody's looking at me like, what the hell is he doing? I'm wondering what the hell I'm doing. Like, why is this such a big deal? And I come to realize, and I talk to them later, and they're like, yeah, you don't understand. Half a dozen people were in that same position you were in. You were the only one that took the shot.

And they made me scream at the top of my lungs, I'm so ballsy. And everybody's looking at me like, what the hell is he doing? I'm wondering what the hell I'm doing. Like, why is this such a big deal? And I come to realize, and I talk to them later, and they're like, yeah, you don't understand. Half a dozen people were in that same position you were in. You were the only one that took the shot.

And they made me scream at the top of my lungs, I'm so ballsy. And everybody's looking at me like, what the hell is he doing? I'm wondering what the hell I'm doing. Like, why is this such a big deal? And I come to realize, and I talk to them later, and they're like, yeah, you don't understand. Half a dozen people were in that same position you were in. You were the only one that took the shot.

We had people look up to the rafters and ask, can I take this shot? we're not going to be fucking with you in Afghanistan. We're not going to be with you there. Nobody's answering questions. You're the only one who took a shot, whether you should have or not, whatever. But I'm like, they didn't actually care. They just wanted people that could make those decisions in those moments.

We had people look up to the rafters and ask, can I take this shot? we're not going to be fucking with you in Afghanistan. We're not going to be with you there. Nobody's answering questions. You're the only one who took a shot, whether you should have or not, whatever. But I'm like, they didn't actually care. They just wanted people that could make those decisions in those moments.

We had people look up to the rafters and ask, can I take this shot? we're not going to be fucking with you in Afghanistan. We're not going to be with you there. Nobody's answering questions. You're the only one who took a shot, whether you should have or not, whatever. But I'm like, they didn't actually care. They just wanted people that could make those decisions in those moments.

And that's what I kind of, that's what I took away. It was like, don't be afraid to make the hard decisions, be decisive, be decisive act, and don't shy away from the hard ones. And I, I still practice that today. You have to. So spend, spend five years at damn neck. and ended up transitioning in 2015.

And that's what I kind of, that's what I took away. It was like, don't be afraid to make the hard decisions, be decisive, be decisive act, and don't shy away from the hard ones. And I, I still practice that today. You have to. So spend, spend five years at damn neck. and ended up transitioning in 2015.

And that's what I kind of, that's what I took away. It was like, don't be afraid to make the hard decisions, be decisive, be decisive act, and don't shy away from the hard ones. And I, I still practice that today. You have to. So spend, spend five years at damn neck. and ended up transitioning in 2015.

Did a bunch of deployments. It goes back to my wife supporting me through all this. We got married in 2012. She moved down to Virginia Beach in 2011, so right about when I was getting the squadron. And this was before work from home was a thing, right? So she made a deal with her company, I think it was American Express, or she switched to Citibank.

Did a bunch of deployments. It goes back to my wife supporting me through all this. We got married in 2012. She moved down to Virginia Beach in 2011, so right about when I was getting the squadron. And this was before work from home was a thing, right? So she made a deal with her company, I think it was American Express, or she switched to Citibank.

Did a bunch of deployments. It goes back to my wife supporting me through all this. We got married in 2012. She moved down to Virginia Beach in 2011, so right about when I was getting the squadron. And this was before work from home was a thing, right? So she made a deal with her company, I think it was American Express, or she switched to Citibank.

She's like, look, I'm gonna go down to Virginia Beach, be with my husband, and then When he's traveling, I'll come back to New Jersey, work from the office in New York. I was like, you do not want to do that. The amount of time that we're on the road, four years later, nobody knew she moved to Virginia. They're like, you live where? It was comical.

She's like, look, I'm gonna go down to Virginia Beach, be with my husband, and then When he's traveling, I'll come back to New Jersey, work from the office in New York. I was like, you do not want to do that. The amount of time that we're on the road, four years later, nobody knew she moved to Virginia. They're like, you live where? It was comical.

She's like, look, I'm gonna go down to Virginia Beach, be with my husband, and then When he's traveling, I'll come back to New Jersey, work from the office in New York. I was like, you do not want to do that. The amount of time that we're on the road, four years later, nobody knew she moved to Virginia. They're like, you live where? It was comical.