ABOUT THE PHOTOS

My subject for this research was Butch Rinaldi, a Marine Corps veteran and good friend. After three years of service Butch found himself torn from his childhood dream, thrown back into civilian life to find his new way. Now, 30 years later, he serves as an example to other veterans and proves that there is no ceiling; your only limits are the ones you place on yourself.

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I've been working out at Butch's Boxing & MMA since the Army stationed me in New York in 2018. I lived two blocks away from Butch's place, and it seemed a no-brainer to go workout there. That notion was solidified when upon entering the front door of the gym, I spotted Butch's Marine Corps recruit photo on the wall and a large Marine Corps flag draped over the ring.

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I was lucky to have found Butch's gym when I did. The pain and traumatic experiences that I had experienced not long before moving was still affecting me, and I was turning to the unhealthy staple of alcohol to cope. I was living back at home with my parents and back in my childhood neighborhood, yet I was still on active duty in the military. It was an extremely odd place to be. I felt like half a civilian, and with that feeling came the pains of transitioning from military to civilian lifestyles. Butch took me in with open arms and treated me well. It was my first experience really being around a veteran who wasn't my grandfather, and it was a different feeling. I felt connected to Butch, and though his time in service was 30 years before mine, speaking about his time in the Marines was so relatable that it felt like it happened yesterday.

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This experience is what led me to the idea for this photo essay. I chose the photo essay approach because I felt it was the most effective way to portray the gravity of the topic. I also chose to capture the entire project on my Iphone, using the Halide photography for editing app. 

I am now six months from my transition date to exit the active duty military and I am significantly better prepared than other service members who come straight from an active post to civilian life. I got to experience the hardships and transition pains while still on active duty, and it was because of friends like Butch that I got through those times and was able to see a light at the end of the tunnel - meaningful life after service. 

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Veterans are all around us. The unique bond of shared experiences that we have will always pull us to one another. I am grateful to be a part of this community and have the opportunity to share a story about a regular guy who decided to serve his country, faced the hardships of transition and feelings of being lost without a purpose and emerged successfully.

This is his story.