Memorial Day is a moment in which we celebrate the lives of all the soldiers who are no longer with us. While paying our proper respect to those we have lost, we at Nice Kicks also want to pay homage to the soldiers that are still serving. These men and women come from many backgrounds, various lineage, and have a multitude of hobbies when out of uniform. The sneaker family within the Armed Forces community is vast and wide-reaching with troops serving in all military branches all across the globe. Today, we spotlight 10 sneakerheads in the military and give you an in-depth look at their collection, how it started, and the effect military life has on sneaker collecting from their perspective. Check out their stories. Nice Kicks supports our troops!
Name: SSGT D’Mario Revere
Branch: United States Air Force
Originally From: Atlanta, GA
Current Station: Joint Base Andrews Air Force Base – Prince George’s County, MD
Nice Kicks: Which shoes are most popular in your hometown?
SSGT Revere: Dudes back in Atlanta are big Jordanheads, and there is a huge skateboard following now so a lot of people rock the SBs too.
Nice Kicks: What made you start collecting shoes?
SSGT Revere: The shoe culture itself constantly intrigues me. The people and the history behind a lot of the kicks is very cool. It?s always great meeting new and old sneakerheads and swapping knowledge and advice. It’s a great networking society of people who like looking out for each other.
Nice Kicks: Which shoe is your holy grail?
SSGT Revere: I would say the Air Jordan 6/11 DMP Pack, all the OG Xs, the Jordan XVII and the “Carmine” VIs. I had a chance to get the DMP 6/11 when they first dropped, but I passed for a new video game system. Boy, was that stupid.
Nice Kicks: Do you notice a difference in the shoe culture at the different places you are stationed?
SSGT Revere: Yes. Here in the DMV area, Foams and ACG’s are heavy. Even dudes in their 30s rock Foams here.
Nice Kicks: Which shoe do you consider the most prized of your collection?
SSGT Revere: Honestly, it would be my ?Chicago? Xs. It was the first shoe I ever bought with my own money when I was younger, so when it retroed I was hyped – sentimental value.
Nice Kicks: How has being in the military helped or hurt your shoe collecting?
SSGT Revere: It has helped a lot. I meet a lot of connects and other sneakerheads that put on the uniform as well. I have learned so much from my fellow brothers and sisters in uniform about the shoe culture. Military people tend to stick together when it comes to looking out for others on the battlefield or the local Foot Locker.
