Joseph Lowrey was born December 27th in Long Beach, California as the third child to a large family. He attended school in Long Beach. He enlisted in the U.S. Army, as an infantryman, during his senior year of high school in response to the 9-11 attacks.
He attended basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia and spent about six years serving in various locations until reaching the rank of Staff Sergeant. At this time, he applied for and was sent to SF selection process. Once successfully passing this, he was sent to Basic Airborne Training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Upon graduating, he went to Fort Bragg, North Carolina to begin Special Forces training.
He spent a year there and once he completed all the required Special Forces training to earn his green beret and become SF qualified, he was assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group. Joseph was deployed to Afghanistan twice and Colombia. While serving in July of 2014, Joseph was shot in his helmet by a PKM round during an intense firefight with Taliban Insurgents.
He was in a coma for a month and emerged as he was flown to Palo Alto, California where he would begin his rehab journey. This journey took him from the Palo Alto Poly Trauma Rehab Unit to Pomona, California Casa Colina and then, once officially medically retired from active duty, he went to CNS in Bakersfield, California to finish his inpatient rehab process.
With rehab complete, Joseph returned to Ontario, California where his family was living. Joseph's wife Jennifer and their four kids have been with him at his side for this entire journey.
Joe is the Co-Founder of the non-profit United Wings of Liberty.
United Wings of Liberty Website: Click Here