This vet’s military experience made him the perfect host for ‘Special Ops Mission’
SUMMARY
Army and Air Force veteran Wil Willis arrived in Los Angeles in 2009 to pursue a job as a TV show host for the Discovery Channel. His time as a pararescueman and as a special operator with the Army's 3rd Ranger Battalion gave him the bona fides to debut in the military reality show "Special Ops Mission."
In this episode of the WATM Spotlight Series, Wil recounts his unusual transition from door-kicker to TV personality during a photo shoot with Marine photographer Cedric Terrell.
In the military, Wil went from 3rd Ranger battalion to Pararescueman, so when he moved to Los Angeles to become a TV host, he understandably was lacking the adrenaline he was used to. He bought a motorcycle, both to circumvent some of the struggles of LA traffic and for his own peace of mind.
Having wrecked and rebuilt the bike three times, he considers it a piece of himself. It represents the kind of person he is: always prepared for challenges, aware that he's a cog in a larger wheel, just like he felt when he was in the military. As long as he's doing his job, the whole plan will come together.
