To Wounded Warrior, Gunnery Sgt. Pedro Ernesto Aquino, his nighttime exposure of the Oceanside Pier titled, "Foggy Day" symbolizes his recovery: long, gloomy, ghostly, almost dead. "But now, my life has taken a complete turnaround," declares Aquino.

The photographs were taken as part of what’s called the “fStop Warrior Project” incorporated in Camp Pendleton’s Wounded Warriors program. The name refers to the f-stop, the camera’s manual setting for the aperture, which controls depth of field.

Aquino's photograph has been printed by North Coast Photographic Services and double matted in a beautiful 44" X 33" frame of distressed, pickled oak by Best Frames Shops.  Aquino will sign and dedicate this piece to the winning bidder on the evening of the Margaritaville Auction!

From Forbes.com:

Gunnery Sergeant Pedro Ernesto Aquino was born in El Salvador. When he was 9 years old, his mother fled to the United States so her two sons would not be taken, as so many were, by the rebels or the army to fight in that country’s civil war. Aquino’s father, a college student, had already been forced to flee because rebels were systematically murdering anyone with an education. His father was seeking asylum in the United States, and when it was granted, the family became legal residents.

Aquino grew to love his adopted country and felt an obligation to defend it against the kind of forces that had threatened his family back in El Salvador. When he was old enough, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1995. He chose the Marines over the other military branches because “They always look sharp,” he said. “I also heard they get all the girls.” It must be true because he met and married his wife, Isabel, and they now have four children.

Over the next 17 years, Aquino deployed three times to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan. He also earned a bachelor’s degree. After his last deployment, he was diagnosed in 2012 with traumatic brain injury, injury to his lower spine, permanent nerve damage to both of his arms and hands, and post traumatic stress disorder.

Unable to fully perform his duties but determined to recover and complete 20 years in the Corps, Aquino joined the Wounded Warrior Battalion in 2012, where he received the help he needed. Aquino received medical treatment for his spinal injury. He also learned skills to manage his PTSD. That has included learning the craft of wood turning to make things out of wood, which has helped him find peace and sleep better. He still faces challenges, including mobility issues and occasional blackouts, but he was able to return to duty as operations chief with Headquarters Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group, and retire on July 31, 2015 after 20 years of faithful service.

(Article by Don Esmond, Forbes.com, Aug 27, 2015)