Jonathan Merick was born and raised in the Army. His father was an infantry first sergeant, his mother a good Army wife. Jonathan moved about with his parents throughout his child-hood and often did not get to see his dad for months at a time. His father died when he was only 8, one of the few casualties of Operation Desert Storm. The funeral was impressive to young Jonathan and on that day he swore he'd follow in his father's footsteps. Jonathan attended high school near his mother's home in Idaho, where he excelled in high school sports, but had some difficulties with the other subjects, mainly because he wasn't studying and spent too much time playing with the cheer-leaders. His long-time girlfriend, Anna Beth, was tragically killed in a drunk driving accident coming back from Senior Prom by a drunk driver slamming into Jonathan's truck on the passenger side. Graduating from high school in 2000, Jonathan signed up for the Army immediately and was soon shuttling through Infantry Basic Training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Reaching his first unit, he performed so well he was given the opportunity to attend Ranger School and Sniper School, again at Fort Benning, Georgia, right before his first deployment to Afghanistan. He dated heavily during his years in the Army, but he was self-destructive in the relationships, often spurning those who got to close or who could help him with his troubled mind. Throughout it all Jonathan kept in close touch with his mother, but on his third tour in Iraq, she had a heart-attack and passed away. Heart-broken that he was unable to see his mother or even attend her funeral. Jonathan has come to expect that those he loves will leave soon enough (often times because of his own actions). Jonathan Merick Height: 5'11" Weight: 185 lbs Hair: Brown Eyes: Dark Brown (Many often joked he was full of shit) Born: 10 June 1983 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky Notes: So stubborn at times He makes a mule look compliant. (more to come as I get this sorted out - suggestions on how to add color/graphics greatly appreciated) View Jonathan Merick's Weekly Blog View Jonathan Merick's Service Record TRIPLES with EMMA