thedrifter
11-12-07, 07:59 AM
Davenport teen drops 140 pounds to join Marines
By Doug Schorpp
Determination usually is difficult to measure.
That is not the case for 2007 Davenport West High School graduate Auston Nelles.
Nelles wanted to join the U.S. Marine Corps.
Make that he really wanted to join the U.S. Marine Corps.
That and his desire to get healthier was a motivator. He lost almost
100 pounds in about a year just so he could partake in basic training. He ended up losing another 40 pounds there. And today, the 18-year-old has dropped from 305 pounds to 165 after just graduating last week from boot camp in San Diego.
“You just start pushing yourself,” he said. “I went on a diet, eating healthy. I was still eating a good amount — I just watched what I ate. Before, I didn’t care to do anything physical.”
But he looked at his grandfather who has diabetes, has had his legs amputated and is on kidney dialysis. “I didn’t want that to happen to me.”
In June 2006, Nelles enlisted but failed a computer test. A month later, he re-enlisted but with a 365-day delayed entry program. That meant he had a year to get into shape.
“The majority of work he did on his own,” said his recruiter, Sgt. Anthony Loerzel, of the first 100 pounds Nelles lost. “He lost another 35-40 pounds in boot camp.
“We would go to the Davenport West YMCA or go to the Arsenal, to work out. He was just your average, run-of-the-mill kid, nothing outside the box. But he saw health problems his grandfather was having. He lost over 100 pounds, and he wanted to join. He had the desire. He took it upon himself to join the Marine Corps. That is very satisfying.”
Marine Staff Sgt. Ryan Easton, who is the station commander for the Davenport recruiting office, is amazed at what Nelles has accomplished.
“In two years he lost almost half of his body weight,” he said. “He was disqualified when he first came to our office because of his weight. I can’t tell you the difference visibly. You look at his driver’s license. It is two different people. In a time that we’re in, to go to such great lengths to become a Marine ...”
Easton said with the training from Loerzel, but mostly Nelles himself, the young Marine lost about 100 pounds at first. “He lost enough weight to be able to join. The young man got discouraged at times, but he overcame that and made it happen for himself.”
But his struggles were not over.
“The issue for weight was still there,” Easton said. “Basic is 13 weeks, but he spent four months there. But he showed the dedication. He met all of the requirements, but he couldn’t get over the pullups. To get out of training, pullups is actually a graduation requirement. But he got to where he wanted to be,” and graduated recently.
“Before boot camp, I was running and everything, but I never trained my body for the upper body,” Nelles said. “I failed it. But I put in the physical conditioning, did extra training. You push yourself and I finally came home from it.”
Nelles’ mother, Lisa Johnson, naturally is thrilled with the outcome and proud of her son.
“He weighed a lot,” she said. “I go by pants size. He wore a 40 (inch waste) jeans and a 3X shirt. He was a big boy. He went to a size 30 pants. He knew he had to get way down to get into the Marines.
“He looks good. He likes to run. He never would do that before. You could not get him off the couch. He went out for football in ninth grade. But he was too lazy, too big. He couldn’t handle it.”
But all that has changed.
In his wallet, Nelles carries a photograph of himself when he weighed his highest weight.
“If I get down at myself, that pushes myself,” he said. “It is inspiration not to get that big again. If I don’t feel like working out, I say I can’t get that big again. It inspires me to work out. Since I have been out of boot camp, I am not lazy at all. I like to do stuff.”
Nelles said he lost weight to join the Marines, but he has very specific reasons why he wanted to join.
“I want to be able to see the world,” he said. “After I talked to Sgt. Loerzel, how everybody looks at the military and how so many don’t choose to do it, I wanted to always be part of something big. Being in the Marines is something big.”
His mother said since they have been out in public a bit with Nelles in uniform, several people have stopped and thanked him for serving his country. “He was real humble and said ‘It embarrasses me,’” she said.
Now, he gets it.
“It’s hard to explain in words,” Nelles said. “I feel good about myself, that I accomplished my goal. At first, I didn’t know how to take it. What are they doing? But they are just proud of not just the Marines, but all military, what they are doing for America. That is part of something big.”
Doug Schorpp can be contacted at (563) 383-2292 or dschorpp@qctimes.com.
Ellie
By Doug Schorpp
Determination usually is difficult to measure.
That is not the case for 2007 Davenport West High School graduate Auston Nelles.
Nelles wanted to join the U.S. Marine Corps.
Make that he really wanted to join the U.S. Marine Corps.
That and his desire to get healthier was a motivator. He lost almost
100 pounds in about a year just so he could partake in basic training. He ended up losing another 40 pounds there. And today, the 18-year-old has dropped from 305 pounds to 165 after just graduating last week from boot camp in San Diego.
“You just start pushing yourself,” he said. “I went on a diet, eating healthy. I was still eating a good amount — I just watched what I ate. Before, I didn’t care to do anything physical.”
But he looked at his grandfather who has diabetes, has had his legs amputated and is on kidney dialysis. “I didn’t want that to happen to me.”
In June 2006, Nelles enlisted but failed a computer test. A month later, he re-enlisted but with a 365-day delayed entry program. That meant he had a year to get into shape.
“The majority of work he did on his own,” said his recruiter, Sgt. Anthony Loerzel, of the first 100 pounds Nelles lost. “He lost another 35-40 pounds in boot camp.
“We would go to the Davenport West YMCA or go to the Arsenal, to work out. He was just your average, run-of-the-mill kid, nothing outside the box. But he saw health problems his grandfather was having. He lost over 100 pounds, and he wanted to join. He had the desire. He took it upon himself to join the Marine Corps. That is very satisfying.”
Marine Staff Sgt. Ryan Easton, who is the station commander for the Davenport recruiting office, is amazed at what Nelles has accomplished.
“In two years he lost almost half of his body weight,” he said. “He was disqualified when he first came to our office because of his weight. I can’t tell you the difference visibly. You look at his driver’s license. It is two different people. In a time that we’re in, to go to such great lengths to become a Marine ...”
Easton said with the training from Loerzel, but mostly Nelles himself, the young Marine lost about 100 pounds at first. “He lost enough weight to be able to join. The young man got discouraged at times, but he overcame that and made it happen for himself.”
But his struggles were not over.
“The issue for weight was still there,” Easton said. “Basic is 13 weeks, but he spent four months there. But he showed the dedication. He met all of the requirements, but he couldn’t get over the pullups. To get out of training, pullups is actually a graduation requirement. But he got to where he wanted to be,” and graduated recently.
“Before boot camp, I was running and everything, but I never trained my body for the upper body,” Nelles said. “I failed it. But I put in the physical conditioning, did extra training. You push yourself and I finally came home from it.”
Nelles’ mother, Lisa Johnson, naturally is thrilled with the outcome and proud of her son.
“He weighed a lot,” she said. “I go by pants size. He wore a 40 (inch waste) jeans and a 3X shirt. He was a big boy. He went to a size 30 pants. He knew he had to get way down to get into the Marines.
“He looks good. He likes to run. He never would do that before. You could not get him off the couch. He went out for football in ninth grade. But he was too lazy, too big. He couldn’t handle it.”
But all that has changed.
In his wallet, Nelles carries a photograph of himself when he weighed his highest weight.
“If I get down at myself, that pushes myself,” he said. “It is inspiration not to get that big again. If I don’t feel like working out, I say I can’t get that big again. It inspires me to work out. Since I have been out of boot camp, I am not lazy at all. I like to do stuff.”
Nelles said he lost weight to join the Marines, but he has very specific reasons why he wanted to join.
“I want to be able to see the world,” he said. “After I talked to Sgt. Loerzel, how everybody looks at the military and how so many don’t choose to do it, I wanted to always be part of something big. Being in the Marines is something big.”
His mother said since they have been out in public a bit with Nelles in uniform, several people have stopped and thanked him for serving his country. “He was real humble and said ‘It embarrasses me,’” she said.
Now, he gets it.
“It’s hard to explain in words,” Nelles said. “I feel good about myself, that I accomplished my goal. At first, I didn’t know how to take it. What are they doing? But they are just proud of not just the Marines, but all military, what they are doing for America. That is part of something big.”
Doug Schorpp can be contacted at (563) 383-2292 or dschorpp@qctimes.com.
Ellie