When you meet a Force Recon Marine, you expect many things. Emotional vulnerability is not at the top of the list. But Robert Blanton is sitting behind his desk in the Warfighter Made shop in Temecula, California, describing to a virtual stranger how he was on the brink of suicide just a few short years ago.
Blanton is tall and fit, dressed in an oversized hoodie, trucker hat, shorts, and a pair of Vans sneakers. He could pass for any SoCal dad, except that his posture and demeanor reflect his 21 years of service in the military.
During this time, Blanton saw four combat deployments. In 2008, during his last combat tour, Blanton and his platoon were involved in an ambush that ultimately resulted in the elimination of an insurgent cell. As a result of his actions during that engagement, Blanton received the Silver Star, the United States military's third-highest decoration for valor in combat.