You Don’t Know the Real Rudy Reyes

We Are The Mighty | By Chase Millsap

Published February 08, 2019

We've all heard of Rudy Reyes, the Recon Marine, martial artist, and actor who famously played himself in the HBO miniseries, Generation Kill, but few people really know what Rudy has been up to these days. Hell, we didn't know either until we asked Rudy to sit down and chat.

The only problem? Rudy doesn't sit. He's always on the move. Always.

As a former Marine and Green Beret myself, I should've known what I was getting into when I asked Rudy for an interview. I'm sitting in my office waiting for the 47-year old Marine to arrive from Mongolia (yep, you read that right). After knowing Rudy for years, I can tell you there is one thing I should be doing right now: stretching.

I first met Rudy in a NYC restaurant back in 2010, just a few weeks after I had left the Marine Corps myself. I was in that awkward, post-military transition phase where the opportunity for a new life seemed so real, but I still had no idea what to do with myself after three tours to Iraq. That's when I ran into Rudy. He was waiting tables at a Thai restaurant in Brooklyn, trying to pick up some extra cash between auditions. I can tell you with 100% accuracy, Rudy is a horrible waiter, but that didn't stop him from giving the task his complete focus and energy. He only knows one speed: fast.

In fact, the Recon Marine and veteran of some of Iraq's most gruesome battles moved around the restaurant like he was clearing a room. Maybe it was the newly grown "veteran" beard on my face or just the post-military emptiness that all warriors feel, but Rudy stopped when he saw me and asked me, "hey brother, are you a vet?" When I answered,"yes" and mentioned that I was just a few weeks out, Rudy invited me to join him for a workout the next day. See, that's the kinda guy Rudy has always been. He knew me for less than a minute before welcoming me into his world.

Nearly a decade later, I am excited to see my friend again, especially now, because he's literally traveled the globe to come up to my office. Besides his warrior spirit, there is one thing that I've always loved about Rudy: He knows how to make an entrance. He's just walked in wearing a sleeveless WWII blouse while carrying a kettlebell and tactical boombox.

So let's get this interview started…

Brother and leader of Marines, welcome back to We Are The Mighty. What the hell are you wearing?

RR: Hey brother, good to see you. Aww yeah, you love this jacket. My buddy who worked on 'The Pacific' hooked me up. It's what the hard chargers wore when they stormed Iwo Jima.

And what about the sleeves?

Didn't need them. [Rudy's now doing pull-ups in the office]

Dude, it's been a decade since 'Generation Kill,' and you still look like you're on the teams. How the hell do you find time to get in the gym?

Brother, I am the gym. I have Sorinex center mass bells, Monkii bar straps, and a positive attitude. That's all I need.

Ok, well, I have no excuse not to work out today. What were you doing in Mongolia?

Aww, oh my gosh bro, it was amazing. I'm part of the Spartan Race Agoge Krypteia. I am one of the leaders of these 60-hour endurance races all across the globe. Just like the Spartans of Greece, we train people to be the strongest and [most] mentally tough citizens on earth.

Why Mongolia?

It's the land of Genghis Khan. We took a group of Agoge athletes through a training program just like the amazing warriors of the steppe. There was wrestling, archery, and shapeshifting.

Shapeshifting?

Oh yeah, the Shaman [priest], covers his face so you can't see it, but it's real. He changes into different animals to help the athletes remove the evil spirits from their lives. It's amazing how this cleansing will move you towards peak performance.

Wow, this just got interesting. You really think that fighting spirits is part of fitness?

I don't just think it, brother. I know it. I've been cleansing my own demons for years as I move toward being my best self. I've learned to dive into my dreams and explore the world as if I was awake. I'm an oneironaut.

An Onierawhat?

Oneironaut. I'm able to travel into my dreams, and once I am awake, I draw what I saw so that I can learn about the future or the past. It's like being on a reconnaissance mission again. I have to get close to the enemy around me so that I can learn how to defeat them.

What have you learned from these dream missions?

The enemy can come in many forms both internal and external. I have to fight things like self-doubt and depression as well as evil spirits that put barriers in our path to success. I've grown to be a better warrior, athlete, and father as an oneironaut. I recently dreamed about my son and I traveling to a beautiful waterfall.

Can you teach me how to do this?

Yes, of course.

Sh*t! He said yes, change the subject before we actually start fighting spirits.

It sounds like you've had a helluva year thus far, what does 2019 look like for you?

Brother, I am so blessed. I've spent the years since I first met you focused on the things I love and believe in, and now it's paying off. I get to be the warrior I am on camera with the Spartan Agoge and travel the world. I also have my non-profit, Force Blue, where we pair special operations veterans and underwater conservationists to save the planet's coral reefs. We were just awarded a grant from the State of Florida to rescue and restore the coral reef off of Miami and the keys.

Wait, what? The state of Florida is paying you guys to dive coral reefs?

Hahaha [Rudy's laugh is now visibly causing all my coworkers to look in our direction]. Pretty much, brother. Florida's reef is the 3rd largest in the world and one of the most threatened. The coral is both a wall and source of life. By getting in the water and restoring the coral, we are protecting the coastline from tidal erosion and protecting the fishing industry. We call it Project PROTECT.

Dude, that's awesome. You're rocking it. I see the same passion in you now that you had back when we first met in NY. What's your secret?

Positive mental attitude, my brother. We are our best when we believe in ourselves. That's where I start each day and try to land each night. Positivity is contagious just like an insurgency.

You know I like that.

Semper Fi.

Semper Fi, brother. [Rudy is now doing more pull-ups]