Photo By Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde | Lawrenceville, Ga., native Lance Cpl. Branden Morgan, an automatic rifleman with...... read more read more
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FIRE BASE FIDDLERS GREEN, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Lance Cpl. Branden Morgan of 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, works out at the base gym during precious spare time, fighting through the fatigue of each repetition. He could be sleeping, watching movies or using the internet at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation center, but Morgan is determined to keep his body strong, even in Afghanistan.
The Lawrenceville, Ga., native exercises regularly and currently weighs a healthy 195 pounds, but he wasn’t always as slim. Two years ago his body was very different, tipping the scales at 305 pounds. Back then he didn’t exercise; instead he chose to spend his spare time in front of the television.
“Every time I came home from school, I’d just sit down and play video games,” said Morgan, “I’d occasionally go out on the weekends, but most of my time was spent sitting at home on the couch.”
The 20-year-old was born in Texas and moved to Las Vegas at age four. He struggled with weight throughout his childhood and was teased as a child for being heavy. In high school, his grades started to slip, so he went to live with his aunt and uncle in Georgia, who could provide a better environment, a move that changed his life forever.
“We were living paycheck to paycheck, and it eventually got to the point where I was doing badly in school,” said Morgan. “My mom and I decided that I should go to a better place, so I moved to Georgia to live with my aunt and uncle. If it wasn’t for my aunt, I wouldn’t be who I am now. She motivated me to do better in school and I managed to graduate.”
Eventually, his mother joined him in Georgia as Morgan’s situation became much more stable. His aunt and mother, the latter of whom had served in the Navy as a corpsman, gave him the confidence to join the armed forces.
Still heavy, he went to his local Marine Corps recruiter who told Morgan he had to drop weight if he was serious about becoming a Marine. Determined, Morgan increased his activity level and began changing his eating habits, to include playing rugby and eating apples instead of junk food. Seven months later he walked back into the recruiter’s office.
“I lost the weight,” said Morgan. “I had to get down to 227 pounds in order to sign the contract, and I had to get down to 213 pounds to go to (recruit training). I lost about 80 pounds in the first seven months – those seven months were a lot harder for me than (recruit training).”
Morgan, who currently serves as an automatic rifleman with Headquarters Battery, 1/12, graduated recruit training at 185 pounds and has since added 10 pounds of muscle. He maintains that weight by exercising five or six days a week while deployed in Afghanistan. He also patrols with his squad frequently around the battalion’s area of operations. The energy he expends trekking through uneven terrain in full combat gear while carrying a squad automatic weapon is a workout in itself.
“Here in Afghanistan, I go to the gym every day and rest every four days,” said Morgan. “The amount of work we do a day has also helped me stay in shape and probably get into better shape.”
Morgan exercises even more regularly back at 1/12’s home in Hawaii, where he runs and lifts weights every day. His determination to remain fit and lead a healthy lifestyle has inspired his peers to stay in shape as well.
“Having a goal (of staying fit) is one thing, but having someone else to remind you of it and make you be consistent with your workouts is what’s important,” said Los Angeles native Lance Cpl. Patrick Shillinglaw, an intelligence clerk with Headquarters Battery. “It will be Friday after work and I’ll want to go out, but he’ll knock on my door already dressed and say, ‘Hey, are you ready to (work out)?’ and I’m like, ‘Okay, let’s go.’”
Morgan has completely turned his life around in two short years. He put down his controller and picked up free weights, proving dedication and hard work pays off.
“I don’t believe that if you’re overweight, you can’t change because obviously I’ve seen it in myself,” Morgan said. “If you have the motivation and want a positive change in your life, you can do it; it’s up to you.”
Editor’s note: First Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, is currently assigned to 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Force and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.
| Date Taken: | 09.07.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 09.07.2011 12:13 |
| Story ID: | 76586 |
| Location: | FIRE BASE FIDDLERS GREEN, HELMAND PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 538 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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