Luis Jorge Rios’s intriguing and extraordinary journey from combat veteran to a renowned journalist is soon going to take a new and groundbreaking turn as he plans to launch Redx Magazine and Puerto Rico Daily.
Luis is not the sort of journalist you meet every day; his life story to date has unfolded pretty much like a Hollywood movie. After serving ten years in the US Army, with tours of both Iraq and Afghanistan, Luis took the skills he had gained in the military and put them to good use in civilian life.
Luis successfully raised over 1.5 million for charity and nonprofit organizations such as the Mark Cuban Foundation. His association with high-profile events led to him working alongside the press. He soon discovered he had a natural nose for a story and an affinity for interviewing people. Luis decided to combine the two traits with his lifelong gift for words and forge a journalistic career for himself.
“I’ve always written a lot, even during my time with the army,” explained Luis. “It’s something I’ve always had a passion for. A lot of people think it’s strange an individual can make the leap from the military to the world of journalism, but to me personally, it was something of a natural progression.”
Alongside his hands-on experience, while serving in the army, Luis has a two-year degree from the American Military University in counter-terrorism with a minor in sociology. He also left the military with something which has also proved surprisingly invaluable in his new career – PTSD.
Luis revealed, “My own battle with PTSD was a long and dark one, but it led to many striking insights I felt I could use to help other veterans overcome their difficulties and anyone else who is lost and looking to find a ray of hope. The lessons I learned have proved extremely beneficial to my life as a journalist.”
“I now apply the knowledge I have learned when interviewing celebrities and other individuals. Sometimes the process of an interview can be very therapeutic. I also use the insights I gain from interviewing the famous and the successful in helping others on their journey. I suppose if asked to define my role, I would call myself a journalism therapy coach,” he added.
Driven by core military values such as loyalty, honor, selflessness, and duty, Luis’s journalism career is anticipated to soar to new heights as he builds Redx Magazine and Puerto Rico Daily into industry leaders.
Luis said, “To be in a position where I can launch my new paper and help other people at the same time is like a dream come true.”