INMAN, S.C. (WSPA) – From 2009 to 2013, Levi Halloran served in the United States Marine Corps as an infantry rifleman.

“We would patrol on deployments,” Halloran explained. “And the mission of Marine Corps riflemen is to locate, close with, and destroy the enemy, by fire movement, fire and maneuver.”

He joined the Marines to follow in his dad’s footsteps.

“My dad was a Vietnam vet and growing up,” Halloran told 7NEWS.

“He would have books about the war on the shelf, and from the time I was 10 years old, I picked the books up, would read them and I said, ‘if America was ever in a war whenever I was eligible to join, that I would join and fight.'”

Halloran served two tours to Afghanistan.

“We would rotate out between posts around our patrol, base, patrol, and then QRF, which we would be in support of the patrolling unit,” said Halloran.

He said it was a very surreal experience.

At times he didn’t know if he would stay alive.

“We learned very quickly about the abuse of innocent people on the part of the Taliban and the locals would tell us how thankful they were for us to be there,” he said.

Following deployment, Halloran said he was lost and relied on his personal faith to help overcome the obstacles he faced on the civilian side.

“Looking back and knowing how much how much good we did while we were there and protecting these people, and they would, then they would tell us that the locals there,” said Halloran.

He served his deployment alongside Tyler Brannon.

The two veterans now operate a lighting business in the upstate.

“It was an opportunity for he and I to be back together providing meaningful service to people and it’s it’s been— that’s how it’s reconnecting us to the American people once again,” said Halloran.

It’s called Tri-State Lighting.

For about a year, the two have installed gemstone lights in homes and businesses like Legacy Auto Detail, where 7NEWS interviewed Halloran.

“Life goes on, and people back here still need help, you know, still go through struggles,” he said. “And with the lighting, it’s, it’s really just a means for us to provide.”

Halloran said it’s what’s helped him reconnect and feed his sense of purpose knowing he’s helping others again.

But he said he has advice for others…

“Find a way to reconnect to people,” he explained. “Don’t succumb to the feelings of despondency, the loss of purpose, you are still useful to society. Society needs you.”

Levi Halloran and Tyler Brannon, Thank You For Your Service.

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