Allen Leatherwood was born in Austin, Texas in 1983 but he grew up in a country home near Elgin where he attended public schools. In high school he was a 3-year varsity Football letterman and was also on the Power Lifting Team. As a 17 year-old during his senior year, and with his parents consent, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. Both of Allen's grandfathers had served in the military and he had an uncle that was an Army Vietnam veteran, but Allen was the first Marine in the family. He graduated from Elgin High School with the class of 2001 and was soon sent off to begin training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in California. After completing Boot Camp in November 2001, he...
