On June 14, 2017, Mrs. Kristy Ellenson bought the 100th bottle of Have A Shot Of Freedom Whiskey Co. Bourbon Batch #1. We had always said we wanted to do something special for the buyer of that milestone bottle. When we reached out to Kristy and learned her husband, Rocky Ellenson, served in the United States Marine Corps, we knew we had the perfect match. Below is their beautiful story and we are proud to be able to pay homage to that.
How did you and your husband meet?
Rocky and I met at Laseter's Tavern in Vinings, GA on a random night in 2006. I decided to go out with some friends and he just so happened to be heading there after his first Marine Corps ball. We locked eyes (and I saw those dress blues) and it was over for us! Lol. The best part of the story is that his grandpa (also a Marine Corps veteran) told him not to wear his blues out in public because they'll get him in "trouble" and that just so happened to be the very first time he ever wore them out.
Why did your husband choose to enlist in the military and what did your husband's military service entail?
Rocky decided to join the Marines in October 2005 when he felt called to serve our country. He became stationed at Dobbins Air Reserve Base shortly after he graduated from boot camp in San Diego. He served an 8 month tour in Iraq as a Cobra and Huey helicopter specialist with HMLA-773 and made some of his closest friends through the brotherhood that is the United States Marine Corps.
What does "Freedom" mean to each of you?
Freedom, to us, means being able to exercise our rights (both physically and spiritually) as human beings each and every day. We live in a country that allows us to make our own decisions within our laws and be able to live FREE which is absolutely the most important part of this wonderful place we call home.
What do you and your husband currently do for work and what led you towards choosing those careers?
I am currently a Client Success Manager at Force Marketing which just so happened to fall into my lap along with my love of marketing and advertising. I've been in the same field for the last 12 years and love how much the industry changes day after day. Rocky decided to become a police officer in the Atlanta area shortly after ending his 6 year contract with the USMC and he couldn't be happier to be serving his country still.
Semper Fi brother,great story.Stay safe and keep your head down.Thank you for your service.
God Bless the Marine Corp.