It’s not every day you get to go to the range with a true American hero. When I was offered the opportunity to sit down with Sgt. Omar “Crispy” Avila as part of the First Shot of the Industry Day at the Range, sponsored by Silencer Central, I did not hesitate. This is a man who grew up in a country that didn’t have a Second Amendment. This is a man who grew up in a country where the government decided how much freedom you were allowed, despite the words ignored in its constitution.
He decided to enlist in the U. S. Army back in 2004. He served in the infantry. On May 14, 2007, he was grievously injured by an IED while serving in Iraq. He had his right leg amputated below the knee, and he suffered burns to 75 percent of his body. Many, including some of his doctors, thought he wouldn’t survive. But they did not know “Crispy.” A man like this did not let that stop him.
Frankly, he works harder probably today than he did as a soldier. He started a consulting firm, and he became not only a world-record holder in the World Association of Bench and Deadlift in the Paralympics, but he became a voice for freedom, heart and grit. He helps other wounded warriors through the pain of their injuries, both physical and psychological, and he is an example to all of us when it comes to drive, character and fortitude.
>And as you can see in the accompanying video, this wounded warrior, despite all the pain he has and continued to fight through, values all the freedom our nation represents to the world. But he especially values the Second Amendment.
