[00:00:00] Scott DeLuzio: Thanks for tuning into the Drive On Podcast where we’re focused on giving hope and strength to the entire military community. Whether you’re a veteran active duty guard reserve or family member, this podcast will share inspirational stories and resources that are useful to you. I’m your host, Scott DeLuzio And now let’s get on with the show.

[00:00:21] Scott DeLuzio: Hey

[00:00:23] Scott DeLuzio: everybody welcome back to the Drive On Podcast today. My guest is Alicia Aguilar. Alicia is a Navy veteran who, while serving discovered how exercise helped her to manage her stress and anxiety. She also created the awareness athletic sprint, and she’s here today to talk about her fitness journey and.

[00:00:46] Scott DeLuzio: How it helped her overall physical, and mental health through that whole process. So welcome to the show. I’m glad to have you.

[00:00:54] Alecia Aguilar: Thank you. I appreciate it. I’m glad to be here.

[00:00:57] Scott DeLuzio: Yeah, absolutely. So for the listeners out there who [00:01:00] might not be familiar with you and your journey why don’t you tell us a little bit about your background?

[00:01:05] Alecia Aguilar: Okay. Yeah. So I am originally from Nebraska. I served about seven years and then in the Navy and I was actually stationed in Norfolk, Virginia for five years and San Diego, California for two years. My job was aviation maintenance administration. So I did administrative work for search and rescue Hilos and I worked with the ETD Hawkeyes and there was a lot of like various different jobs in between, but majority of it was administrative work.

[00:01:36] Alecia Aguilar: So I recently just separated from the Navy. August, 2021. So I’m kind of like the whole veteran process is all flowing now. And the whole transition process.

[00:01:50] Scott DeLuzio: What do I do with myself now? All that kind of stuff. That’s probably going on with you right at this point,

[00:01:54] Alecia Aguilar: I actually I jumped straight into school and then I did a contractor job [00:02:00] for a little bit prior to moving back to Nebraska.

[00:02:02] Alecia Aguilar: So that’s where I am now. Back home, living with my parents. I was like, man, I’m so homesick for so long. Like I should probably spend some more time with them.

[00:02:12] Scott DeLuzio: Yeah. It’s funny when you go away, whether it’s on a deployment or. Serving in different places around the country, around the world, even where you’re you’re away from home for so long, you start to miss some of those comforts that you grew up with and all the things that you’re just used to having around you.

[00:02:30] Alecia Aguilar: And all grass. Cause there was no grass in San Diego and like wind. It’s just like the weirdest things. It’s so funny. Yeah.

[00:02:39] Scott DeLuzio: Th there’s those little tiny things that you don’t even recognize while you’re there, but when you don’t have them, it’s ~like, ~ I feel like I’m lost now. I need that thing to ground me back to where I came from.

[00:02:51] Scott DeLuzio: ~Right? ~Yeah. Yeah. Yeah I felt the same way. Even on a deployment there, there would be, certain foods or whatever that our family would have [00:03:00] on certain holidays, like Easter or whatever. And you go into the chow hall in Afghanistan and...