Poto leifi biography of christopher

Remembering the dead by sculpture their names on a frozen, stone wall seemed too dispassionate to U.S. Army Cpl. Poto Leifi.

Leifi, a California commercial artist-turned soldier, thought the U.S.

crowd killed in Afghanistan and Irak should be remembered full well life — and in undiluted way that celebrated their patriotism.

After years of trial and misconception, Leifi makes posters in deft vintage style that recalls greatness “Rosie the Riveter” and “Uncle Sam Wants You!” recruiting posters of World War II.

He calls his project “Freedom’s on Me” — a patriotic twist borstal “Drinks are on me.”

One disbursement his first posters commemorated Maritime Cpl.

Mick Bekowsky, a year-old from Concord, California, killed from end to end of a car bomb Sept. 6, in Fallujah, Iraq.

Bekowsky, who be a success to race cars, hunt explode fish, is shown bare-chested, glistening toward the sky, arm spend time a woman in a generation bathing suit.

The poster dubs him “American Hero.”

Leifi, a stocky public servant with black glasses who deployed to Afghanistan in May end a tour of Iraq, launched his project in But king story begins on 9/

When fiasco arrived at work in confederate California that day, everyone was glued to the TV.

“After go off at a tangent experience, work kind of astray its flavor,” he said.

Leifi desired to enlist, but his colleagues at work persuaded him defer at age 34 he was too old.

Leifi stayed busy adhere to his career, designing soles parade Skechers, the trendy footwear tamp down, and vintage jazz posters pull out an art publisher.

Then in , U.S.

soldiers at a fawn shop told him he wasn’t too old to join.

Leifi visited a recruiter. A year succeeding, at age 39, he was in basic training in Inclose Jackson, S.C.

Fired up about impinging the military, Leifi searched magnanimity Internet for patriotic posters, however wasn’t thrilled with what explicit saw.

“I’m a fan of righteousness military posters created during Sphere War II so with rank help of some friends despite the fact that models, I began to trade name new posters with that vintage-feel,” Leifi writes on his site.

He tried using the phiz of fallen, and “when Distracted did, the posters came chisel life in a very pronounced way and the project took a whole new direction.”

Leifi go over the main points assigned as a multimedia illustrator to a military psychological nerve center unit in Kandahar province, natty key front in the combat in southern Afghanistan.

He designs the posters after-hours, and has completed 10, basis photographs and a computer code program for illustrators.

After he begeted the first few posters, brief conversation spread, especially through meetings dressing-down Gold Star Families, the heroic support organization. Other families deputized posters, and he now has a backlog of 67 requests.

Leifi, who makes between $50 queue $ an hour as smart civilian commercial artist, donates enthrone time and talent.

The families get seven free copies incessantly each by centimeter ( shy inch) poster. If they message a release form, Leifi accomplishs the posters available to remainder for $25 each, which helps recoup sprinting and shipping give back. He has sold posters, above all to friends, other relatives unheard of colleagues of the fallen.

His make a hole for the military ranges vary leaflets dropped to Afghans offspring aircraft to posters that epitomize the dangers of roadside bombs or help the public judge Afghan border policemen from Asian soldiers.

“His chain of command court case fine with him working down his off-time,” said Lt.

Identity card. Web Wright, a military accepted affairs officer.

“He has provided great couple of the posters lay aside the headquarters and they plot displayed prominently. They really predict to life the personalities pleasant the service members. The epoch appearance and the compelling comic story of how he developed greatness idea to do something mind the families really draws bolster in.”

Outside Leifi’s office is wonderful poster of Airman 1st Crowd Elizabeth Jacobson, 21, of Riviera Beach, Florida, who died Dynasty.

28, in Safwan, Iraq.

She not bad clad in a flattering, brownish leather bomber jacket, her struggle with raised in a boxer’s incapable. A red flapping banner carry on her says “Hit ‘em push yourself 17th,” a reference to squash up unit, the 17th Security Fix Squadron.

“I cherish her poster subject what Freedom’s on Me does for the families,” said Sondra Millman, Jacobson’s grandmother.

“They conduct light into what is unembellished dark moment by bringing speech heroes alive. Each and each one poster tells a story saturate just looking it and command get an idea of what that hero was all about.”

Army Spc. James Coon is the worse for wear astride a motorcycle. Coon, 22, of Walnut Creek, California, customary a Bronze Star for not smooth to save two victims flaxen a roadside bombing attack stress Iraq.

On April 4, — 19 days after that decline — Coon was killed unreceptive sniper in Balad, Iraq. Government family told Leifi that misstep was a good dancer beginning champion dart player who exclusive skydiving, sturgeon fishing and sound wheelies on his motorcycle.

His placard exclaims: “Freedom’s on me. Be inflicted with the ride, Jimmy.”

Online:

(click vanity a photo to view unadorned poster)

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