GySgt Luke Focer, USMC Special Operations, Iraq, Afghanistan

Luke Focer was not sure what he wanted to do after high school but after reading many books on the military and being impressed by a teacher who had served, Focer enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2005. He would go on to serve two tours in Iraq and three in Afghanistan over the next 14 years. He also became a sniper and part of Marine Corps Special Operations (MARSOC).In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Focer takes us from Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island to being an infantry point man for his squad in Iraq on his first deployment. He tells us about the patrols and security responsibilities he had there and reveals what he saw there that made him want to become a sniper.Focer then shares how his first tour in Afghanistan convinced him to pursue special operations. He explains the conditions in Afghanistan that motivated him and what it took to qualify as a special operator.Later, Focer details how he forged close bonds within his unit and with the Afghan special operations forces he partnered with. He also takes us inside some of his most intense combat in Afghanistan and his ongoing commitment to our Afghan allies who are now trying to build lives in the U.S.