Augie Freeman

Augie Freeman is a real-life Marine Corps veteran who served as a tow gunner with 1st Marine Division, 1st Tank Bn, TOW Platoon. He is interviewed in the film, 'Alive and Kicking', and he served in the Marines from 2001 - 2005. During his service, he was stationed at 29 Palms, California, at the Marine Air Ground Combat Center. In March 2003, Augie was deployed with his unit from Kuwait to Iraq as part of the Marine Corps regimental combat team. He was involved in a number of combat engagements as the main allied invasion effort from Safwan Hill through, Al Basra, Al Kut, and finally into Baghdad. He was present when Sadam Hussein's statue was famously pulled down in April. Augie had more than a year remaining in his enlistment term when his unit was called back to Iraq to assist U.S. Army forces in Al Fallujah in April 2004. During his second deployment, he and other members of TOW platoon provided fire support for the famed First Reconnaissance Battalion that was featured in the HBO Miniseries, 'Generation Kill.' Augie was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries sustained by an improvised explosive devise that was planted along the road and detonated as his unit was returning from a combat mission earlier that day. Like many other Marines, Augie returned to his unit as soon as possible. After his end of active service in 2005, Augie traveled around Europe as a swing dancer. He subsequently competed in many competitions. He has a BA of Arts, is a graphic design architect, and was inducted into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame. In the film 'Alive and Kicking,' Augie describes how swing dancing helped him cope with Post Traumatic Stress he suffered after his deployments to Iraq in 2003 and 2004.