So I went to basic training throughout the winter.
I was actually company honor grad.
I was the best one in the company.
That's the thing too.
I kept this secret from all of my drill sergeants
'cause they're like, "Who is this guy and
how is he so physically fit?"
I was the most physically fit person in the whole company.
And I didn't tell them
because then I knew they'd really be on me.
So I kept it a secret until the last two weeks.
Then, because I was the company honor grad,
I got an airborne contract,
which I wanted to go to
but then I started doing the timeline.
If I had gone to airborne training,
I would have had a week afterward
to prep for the Great Outdoor games.
And I was like, "Okay, I'm good but I'm not that good."
So I said,
"I don't really know how to tell you this,
but I have to give up my airborne contract and go home."
They're like, "What are you talking about?"
I said, "Well, I'm actually a world champion lumberjack and
I've got a contest coming up and I need to go home and train.
[chuckles]
So they're like, "No way."
I'm like, "Hop on your computer and Google my name."
So they looked it up.
They're like, "No way! That's you!
You're gonna be on ESPN!"
So yeah, I gave up my airborne contract.
I went home.
I trained for 3, 4 weeks.
Went into the Great Outdoor Games,
which coincidentally enough,
that year was held in Madison, Wisconsin.
I won all three of my events.
Medaled in all of them.
That got me nominated for an ESPY Award the following year.
I went off and
I won an ESPY Award for Best Outdoor Sports Athlete.
And then three months later,
I was shipping off to a train-up for Iraq.