Chance Leake
President
Army Veteran

During my 8 1/2 years in the Oklahoma Army National Guard, I served in B Co. 834th ASB, 45th ID as a 15D (Aviation Powertrain Technician). In this unit, I gained valuable insights and underwent various training, including attending NDT school in Huntsville, AL, before preparing for deployment in 2019. The pre-mobilization phase began in October 2019, and we headed overseas by the end of November. Throughout our deployment, we were stationed at different posts, primarily Taji and Kuwait. Midway through our deployment, the unexpected challenge of Covid-19 impacted our support battalion, resulting in long days and challenging conditions. Enduring scorching temperatures, unpleasant odors, and a relentless routine for 13 months in the field, our unit remained until the next replacement unit was ready during the pandemic. This experience prompted me to reflect on self-improvement and understanding my mindset to enhance collaboration with others, amidst the negativity and hardships we faced.

Upon returning home, I cleared my debts, secured a rewarding NDT inspector position at the airport, and invested in a home, truck, and a motorcycle. Despite these acquisitions, I realized they did not bring the fulfillment I sought. Struggling with vivid dreams, heightened anxiety, and unexplainable anger, I felt a loss of control and sought support from the VA. Although currently taking anti-depressants, I sought solace in a new passion - my 1976 Jeep Wagoneer. Engaging in this new hobby full-time brought me joy and peace, especially when visiting Crossbar Off-road Park, where I found a sense of belonging and camaraderie. Immersed in nature and surrounded by a supportive community, my mind finds solace and distraction from negative thoughts, providing a much-needed mental escape.

Joseph Tran
Trail Guide
Active Duty Navy

Joseph served in the USMC 2012-2017 and deployed with 3/12. He is currently serving in the U.S Navy 2017 - present, deployed with ESB-4. ‘ HWW’ found off-roading to be an extremely enjoyable outlet, and a great community that comes with it. Recoil outdoor is what he believes to be an untapped method of therapy for anyone.

Seth Fox
Media Chairman
Air Force Veteran

My name is Seth Fox. I served 7 years in the Air Force Active Duty as an Aerospace Ground Equipment Mechanic (2A6X2). I loved turning wrenches, and found purpose in my work being able to keep equipment running and solving problems, directly impacting my squadron’s mission.

After 7 years of service, I was medically retired. At around the age of 22, I started having back pain. That pain over time migrated to my hands, my knees, and shoulders. At 25 years old I was diagnosed with Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis. After my initial evaluation, my doctor told me based on the condition I was in, I wouldn’t see a 40th birthday.

After my retirement, I took some time to find a new purpose, and plan what direction I wanted my life to go. I knew 2 things- my work can’t be physically demanding, and I can’t trade my time for a salary anymore.

I found a love for creating, and building. Tech fascinated me, so I leaned into that and started my first business, “One-Off.” I built custom PC’s for people, many of which were E-Sports competitors or creatives of some kind. Unfortunately, there were a lot of big name companies that were able to mass produce custom builds with thin margins and make their profits in volume. I was being undercut with pricing and production time. I still very much enjoy tech, but it’s no longer my focus.

In 2018 when I started enjoying PC building myself, I had a youtube channel. That eventually led me to improve my production quality, so I bought my first DSLR; this is truly where my journey began.

I fell in love with photography for so many reasons. Creating, learning, getting out of the house, and meeting people. I’ve now owned and operated Underline Photography for 5 years, my first year being 2019. This is what I feel is truly my calling.

Since I’ve joined Recoil Outdoor, I’ve leveraged my equipment and skillsets to help bring quality marketing, storytelling, and a strong online presence to the organization. I hope to document stories, events, testimonies, and advocate for those without a voice. I feel like I was meant to cross paths with recoil, and create in impact with my love for storytelling and art.

“I grew up in central Oklahoma. I enlisted into the Oklahoma national guard at 18 while wrestling in college at Bacone in Muskogee (late 2007). I then went to Wyotech and graduated in mid 2010. I deployed with the Oklahoma national guard to Afghanistan in 2011-2012 with Aco 1/179 in Laghman Province at COP Najil.

Since then I have worked in different aspects of the automotive aftermarket while mainly focusing on off road and other performance vehicles.”