What was the best part about being a Ranger?
Generally speaking, life is easy as a young man in an infantry unit; Look after your brothers, own your mistakes and embrace the collective suffering. For me personally, taking care of the best men of my generation will forever be among my greatest honors. Having men of such an elevated caliber place an ultimate trust in my ability as their medic to such a degree they would charge into a wall of bullets is the honor and privilege of a lifetime.
What is one thing that you know now that you wished you knew as a young Ranger?
I was twenty years old when I left for the Army. Similar to many of the men who I served with, September 11th was a major catalyst to my enlistment. My decision to serve was somewhat reactionary. I was angry and desired revenge. Fifteen years of hindsight later, I would love the opportunity to educate my younger self on cultural tolerance.
I became obsessed with the ‘why’ of my war after leaving Ranger Battalion. I studied relentlessly, devouring every book on the subject matter of terrorism. I wanted to know why great men died while average men like me survived. I wanted to know if we would be on the right side of history. If I could impart just one pearl of knowledge on my younger self, it’s that war is a vicious, unwavering plague. There is no winning war, your best hope if you choose to meddle in that cancer, is to survive.
"Rangers gonna range. FBI shoot house circa 2006. Force on force, full contact Close quarter combat. (No beard or Gucci gear required)
Photo Credit: Leo's Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/leo_jenkins/?hl=en) to
Photo Credit: Leo's Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/leo_jenkins/?hl=en) to
You have held many titles in your life- Ranger, Nomad, Veteran, Author and more. Which do you have the most pride in?
I don’t place a lot of stock in titles. It’s possible I’m just addicted to the human experience. I can’t seem to get enough of it. The highs and lows alike, I chase them like a junky. That unquenchable thirst has led me through a few truly great adventures. At 34, I’m just getting started.
Have you kept track of every country you have visited? Which were your favorite and why?
I believe I’ve been to 46 countries so far. I can’t say I necessarily have a favorite place. Traveling for me is more about experiencing the moment. Location is only a small part of the experience of traveling. Much more of the experience comes from the people you share it with. There’s a spot in southern El Salvador where I spent ten days, an absolute paradise. My girlfriend and I picked up four hitchhiking surfers in northern El Salvador and set out to find a specific wave located way off the beaten path. I could go back to that same spot a dozen times and the experience will never be the same. The people we encounter and share our moments with, that’s what makes traveling valuable, not the location.
You’ve drank a beer in all fifty states. What was your favorite state/beer combo?
I’m not sure I’ve ever had a bad beer. While every state has someplace worth visiting, Alaska still holds the top spot for me. The expansive wild of that place speaks to me.
Photo Credit: Leo's Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/leo_jenkins/?hl=en) to
For you- what is the best part about “going nomad?”
Freedom. Pure. Unadulterated. Freedom.
I recall waking up in the Yukon province of Northern Canada to the sound of a glacier fed river flowing past my camp with serene violence. There wasn’t another human for miles, no cell towers, or expectations. I never planned or intended to be in that place, it’s just where the road took me. There’s a freedom out there most men don’t know about, it exists beyond control. It’s the freedom a leaf understands after detaching from the branch and giving itself to the whim of the wind.
Photo Credit: Leo's Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/leo_jenkins/?hl=en) to
What are a few books that you would recommend that everyone reads?
I’m a libertarian at heart. I believe every person should read On Liberty by Mills, Civil Disobedience by Thoreau, and Self-Reliance by Emerson.
I’m a sucker for the classics; Aristotle, Plato, Marcus Aurelius, but the book which influenced my life’s trajectory more than any other I read over nine years ago. Some guy who left his comfortable life to travel around Mexico, living in a camper, chasing waves. I don’t know the title or who wrote it, all I know is how it made me feel. A decade later, I still know how it made me feel. Making someone feel is the pinnacle of achievement for an author as far as I’m concerned, regardless how many copies sold or the name on the cover, read something that makes you feel.
Photo Credit: Leo's Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/leo_jenkins/?hl=en) to
For those who don’t know, can you speak about your upcoming Big Mountain Heroes Trip?
I have a standing personal policy to never say no to a life experience. Big Mountain Heroes is the brainchild of my friends, Brandon Webb and Nick Cahill. They are out to show how capable our nation's veterans are. They are out to dismantle the common narrative of the broken, suicidal veteran and promote the notion that the healthiest thing guys like us can do is to get outside with our buddies and experience life.
Photo Credit: http://www.veteranslist.us/
In many photos, you’re often seen wearing Combat Flip Flops. What is it that you love so much about the product and brand?
I’ve had the privilege of spending a significant amount of time with the founders of Combat Flip Flops. To put it as plainly as I can, I don’t personally know of another company that does more to help people who they’ll never meet than those guys. The company’s mission is to empower citizens of war-torn nations by providing them meaningful employment so they don’t have to pick up a gun. Profits from those products are then reinvested into those same communities to teach young girls how to read. Education and empowerment, not more violence, is how you reduce violence. I’d have to be a pretty big asshole to not support a company whose mission is to put illiterate young girls in a classroom.
Video Credit: Team Five Foundation
Can you speak about the Team Five trip you just did to Peru?
Team Five’s Peru mission was like nothing I’ve ever been a part of. Five medical practitioners operating in the most austere and rural jungles of Peru. Treating 540 clinical patients, over 40 dental patients and performing close to a dozen surgeries in a week without complaint from the team. The work Team Five does truly changes lives. It was an absolute honor to be invited along.
I’m currently working on a new book titled, Something to Write Home About, which includes a detailed account of my experiences with Team Five.