Walking Distance

About the Book

“Friday Night Lights meets Jarhead in this extraordinary journey!” “Walking Distance: Fields of Battle” is an admirable and inspirational account of a young man chasing after his dreams while finding answers to his existence through the realities of life. The book travels from the border city of Laredo, Texas to the deserts in the Middle East in a rollercoaster ride of excitement and danger. It explores the war on the gridiron and the war in Iraq as he encounters many battles, both physically and mentally, as he continues to fight for what he wants and where he envisions himself to be. It’s a humbling story of the Marines, family, faith, football, and an extraordinary walk through life with the simple pursuit of happiness in an unforeseen future.

About the Author

Roberto Ortiz Jr. was born in Laredo, Texas on October 26, 1982. He graduated high school from JW Nixon in 2001 where he played a variety of varsity sports. Upon graduating from high school he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps from 2001 to 2005. Robert went back to Laredo after he was honorably discharged from the military and attended Laredo Community College until his sophomore year then he transferred to Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) where he got a Bachelor’s Degree in English Language Arts with a minor in Sports and Fitness in 2010. He wrote his first book, A Walking Distance, in 2007, which is based on his life as a young child all the way to the last day of his military service. He began piecing together his work right after his enlistment until finally putting it all together a few years after leaving the corps. Walking Distance: Fields of Battle is a revised and re-edited version of his first book. Robert began his teaching and coaching career after getting his degree and certification in 2010 and his first position was in George Washington Middle School as an English teacher. He then moved into Physical Education his 2nd year and was promoted to the head coach of that campus his 3rd year. He has coached football, basketball, track and field, and soccer. He married San Juanita Llano in 2011 and has two beautiful daughters, Arianny Victoria and Regina Anahi. He was diagnosed with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) as a result of his tours in Iraq, but he has managed to cope with it and remains optimistic on his outlook on life. He received his master’s degree in educational administration in 2014 and he continues to walk towards success.