JJ Print

This piece was a commissioned piece of "JJ" who is a noble member of the Warrior Canine Connection. JJ was named in honor of United States Army Private First Class Jesse Jack Martinez Army Private First Class Jesse Jack Martinez was born in Germany where his father Manuel Martinez Jr., was serving in the Army. A 2002 graduate of Duncan-Russell High School in Tracy, California, PFC Martinez hoped to be a police officer when he left the service. After enlisting in the Army with a desire to serve and give back to his country, PFC Martinez graduated Fort Benning, Georgia in August of 2003. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, at Ft. Lewis, Washington. A member of the Stryker Brigade combat unit, PFC Martinez deployed to Iraq on November 14, 2003. On July 14, 2004 while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom, PFC Martinez was killed on his way to a mission, when his Stryker vehicle rolled over as the driver tried to avoid a gas tanker heading towards them. He was 20 years old. PFC Martinez’s mother Jan described her son by saying that he was “A young man who wanted nothing more than to make his country proud of him and a better place to live.” “If Jesse was looking for his place in life, he found it in what he was doing over there,” said his commanding officer. It is with great pride that we name WCC’s JJ in honor of United States Army Private First Class Jesse Jack Martinez. For more information about the artist and/or hiring for a commissioned piece, please visit .