We’re feeling somewhat fortunate to have caught up with Chris Wilkin.

He seems to be out boating … a lot.

“My wife Debbie and I go out almost every single day,” Chris said. “We like to just cruise and go up to one of the restaurants on the water for lunch.”

But the retired U.S. military serviceman did take a few minutes to share details about his past service in the military and his passion for being on the water in his pontoon.

Wilkin started his military service in 1992 when he joined the Air Force right out of high school. He served there from 1992-1995. Then he took a two-year break from military service.

He said, “Once I got out of the Air Force, I stayed out for two years. Then I just decided I wanted more excitement so I joined the Marines out of the blue one day.”

Once in the United States Marine Corps,  he served from 1998-2013, retiring as a Gunnery Sergeant E-7. “I always knew I wanted to serve and join the Air Force to follow in my father’s footsteps. But the Marines was all my idea.”

He pointed out that during his time in service to our country he served in the infantry as an assault man and platoon leader as part of a Combined Anti-Armor Team (CAAT) during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. That was with 2/8 (2nd Battalion 8th Marine regiment).

Chris served in many of the hot spots in the world, including two combat tours in Iraq and two tours in Afghanistan along with time served in Kosovo in 2001.

It didn’t take Chris long to get back into boating once he retired from the service. He explained, “When my parents retired, they moved into a house on the Ohio River and sold their cabin cruiser for a pontoon. Once I retired, I moved about a half mile away from them on the river. I can see their dock from mine. I had an old Tribulation fishing boat, but sold it and got a 1995 Crest pontoon for me and my wife at the end of last summer.

“I live on the Ohio River with my own dock and boat ramp.”

More specifically, he lives on the river in Ripley, Ohio. When out on the Ohio, he said, “I stay between Ripley and the Manchester islands; that’s about my range.”

His current passion for boating is a continuation of his younger years when his family was very much into boating. He said, “My family has had a boat since I was two years old. We always stayed at the marina campground every single weekend during the summer.”

Chris made lasting friendships with his fellow service members, many of whom he still is in contact with. “I stay in touch with a lot of them,” he said. “Social media has made staying in touch with people all over the world easier these days. My best memories are always the down time and just hanging out with my fellow Marines.”

Today, Chris cherishes his time with Debbie on their pontoon exploring the Ohio River. He did mention with a smile, “She fishes for catfish every time the boat stops!”