![]() Anybody who is feeling like there is huge division, figure out what they can do on a daily, weekly, monthly basis to make a small impact,” Merritt said. “You can make an impact…in a small way or in a big way. His philosophy on life is to “be a participant.” “If we could get more veterans in office, I do believe, it would still take a long time, but if we get more vets in office, I think we could start to make an impact and really change the game a bit.”Įven though he didn’t make it to Congress “this time,” Merritt said sitting at home sulking simply wasn’t an option. We’re also happy to serve,” Merritt said. “What we’re willing to do for a third of the price is much greater than what these guys have to do on a daily basis and we’ll do it in the far parts of the world that nobody wants to go to but we’re happy to go. ![]() Looking forward, Merritt said he’d consider running for office again, but even if he doesn’t, he definitely wants to see more veterans in office. Still wanting to serve, Merritt re-enlisted and moved with his wife and four children to Germany for his new assignment. ![]() He had a decent competitor and it made him work harder. I made him a better Congressman because he had competition. “My congressman worked so freakin hard when I was running against him. ![]() It should make them want to work harder,” Merritt said. Every congressman, every senator, they should have competition all the time because it should keep them on their toes. “As a small business owner, and a big believer in small business, competition in business is great for the people in the United States. While he ultimately lost his bid for one of Georgia’s House seats, Merritt said he is glad he ran because it made his competition “a better Congressman.” The frustration propelled the veteran to run for Congress. After his friend reached out to the VA with confusing results, Merritt stepped in and called his congressman, but he never heard back. The soldier took off for Savanah, Georgia, where he and his brother, a Special Operations helicopter pilot, started the small business “Nine Line Apparel.”Īround the same time that Merritt sold his half of Nine Line Apparel, one of his friends, a disabled veteran struggling with substance abuse, needed help. to train Afghani officers and getting their police organizations up to speed so they could move forward on their own.Īfter his deployments, Merritt said he was ready for something new, adding, “I checked all of the boxes…Iraq, Afghanistan…the bombs, the bullets…I wanted to do something else.” In Afghanistan, Merritt was in charge of two different programs that included bringing police officers from the U.S. Merritt called it “the highlight of my military career.” He ran hundreds of combat patrols and brought all of his guys home, earning a Bronze Star. Merritt credits those around him with his success in Iraq. Instead, at just 27 years old, Merritt was attached to an element in charge of training Iraqi police. In Iraq, he had an “extremely unique experience” as a satellite platoon leader, meaning he was a platoon leader but he wasn’t with his company. He was deployed twice during his 18 years of service: once to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. Merritt enlisted right out of high school. “It was the best decision I ever made in my entire life.” I wanted to commit to something,” Merritt said. It was a three-year commitment and it would bring me to Europe. “Once your sign your name on that dotted line, you’re stuck. In support of this venture, Nine-Line Apparel joined in with a lineup of three shirts that allow hunters, shooters and Second Amendment supporters to showcase their support of the right to keep and bear arms while also sporting trendy, eye-catching gear.“The military always kind of called out to me,” Merritt said.Ī poor student, Merritt struggled with follow-through, surrounding himself with “not the best folks…I was the kid who probably should have gone to jail or been dead.” Knowing that wasn’t who he wanted to be, Merritt considered the Army a move that, if pursued, he knew he could not back out of. The colors and patterns chosen were also developed to provide concealment in a variety of settings, allowing hunters and shooters alike to blend into their surroundings while also supporting the NRA's efforts to protect and preserve the Second Amendment for future generations. The Overwatch pattern was developed entirely in a 3D-modeling environment, allowing designers to develop a pattern that's virtually indistinguishable from terrain and background details. ![]() Launched in 2019, the Mossy Oak overwatch pattern is the result of an entirely new design and development process in the world of hunting and shooting camouflage. Nine-Line Apparel, maker of pro-Second Amendment clothing and gear, teamed up with the National Rifle Association and Mossy Oak in support of the duo's Overwatch pattern with the launch of several dedicated apparel options. ![]()
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