Retired Marine Gunnery Sergeant Nick Popaditch is one of the few politicians who can legitimately be called a "hero." Challenging Democratic incumbent Rep. Bob Filner for California's 51st district, Popaditch has decided to go from arugably America's noblest profession to one often derided for being among the slimiest.
Popaditch enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps right out of high school in 1986. He served as a tank commander during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and, with six years of active duty under his belt, was honorably discharged in 1992.
After a three year intermission -- during which time he worked in construction and as a corrections officer in Indiana -- Popaditch re-enlisted in the Marine Corps. In April 2003, when the 1st Tank Battalion pulled down the statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad, an AP photographer immortalized Popaditch in a famous picture of him sitting in his tank, smiling, and smoking a victory cigar while the statue fell in the background. He became known as "The Cigar Marine." |