Chad Van Rys is a former marine who did 3 tours in Iraq. He has been featured in a music video for the Born Again American campaign started by Norman Lear in January of this year. You can see the video at www.bornagainamerican.org. Chad has two tracks on To The Fallen Records Presents: Country Volume 1, "Once a Marine" and "The Veterans", which you can get online at www.tothefallenrecords.com.


"When I was on Active Duty, I used to play the guitar with some of my buddies, but then it changed a little. Instead of playing with my buddies, somehow I ended up playing for my buddies, and they were making requests and asking me to learn their favorite songs. I don't know what they would say, but as for me, the music was such a blessing out in the desert. It could have been a miserable day, but once I started playing the guitar and some of them started singing along, it almost felt like I was back home at the lake with some friends, just relaxing by a campfire. It was therapeutic."

- Chad Van Rys