Growing up, Ashton Lopez always had a drive to serve and protect. The 25-year-old Marine Corps veteran looks back on his time in uniform with pride and gratitude for the lessons that shaped him.

From 2019 to 2023, Ashton served as an Expeditionary Fire and Rescue Marine. His mission? To respond to aircraft crashes and fires, pulling people out of danger when it counted.

“I had the most fun I ever had,” Ashton said. “I was trained and entrusted to rescue individuals from aircraft crashes and fires.”

After leaving the Corps, Ashton pursued a career as an EMT, working toward his goal of becoming a civilian firefighter. The work was rewarding, but it came with challenges – both mental and financial. The calls he answered left lasting scars, and despite his dedication, the pay wasn’t enough to keep him afloat.

“Slowly, I started losing everything,” Ashton recalled. “By mid-December of 2023, I was homeless.”

Sleeping in his car, then in a tent in Balboa Park, Ashton faced a humbling reality. But true to his Marine training, he adapted, improvised, and overcame. Ashton began searching for a new path – one that offered stability, purpose, and growth.

That search led him to Workshops for Warriors.

“I came across Workshops for Warriors completely by accident,” Ashton said. “I was looking into becoming a boilermaker because I heard they make good money and they weld. I figured, ‘Hey, I used to work on cars and burned a few things before – how hard could it be?’”

Welding was tough – hot, demanding, and relentless – but it was honest work. In that grind, Ashton began to rediscover his sense of purpose. Then he learned about machining – the science behind making everything from car parts to tools to airplanes – and something clicked.

“I’ve always been into cars, so naturally, I thought, ‘That’s got to be where the magic happens.’”

Once he enrolled in the CNC Machining program, Ashton thrived. He was surrounded by fellow veterans and service members who shared his resilience and determination. What stood out most to him wasn’t just the cutting-edge equipment or stackable certifications – it was the chance to build something lasting.

“Thanks to this program, I’m not just getting a trade – I’m getting a career,” Ashton said. “I’m getting the chance to build the things that make up the American Dream I used to hear about as a kid.”

For Ashton, Workshops for Warriors is more than a school – it’s a lifeline. It’s structure, support, and community. It’s the opportunity to turn hardship into hope and skill into success.

“Every bit of support – it’s not just funding machines or classes,” Ashton said. “You’re rebuilding lives. You’re giving people like me a reason to stand tall again.”

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