ALG streamer known as Properish joined the military in 2016, following a family tradition of service.
“I come from a family of military,” he said. “It’s all I wanted to do.”
He first entered Marine cadet school but was medically dropped after a small lung puncture. Determined to continue serving, he transitioned to the Navy, taking an information technology role.
“I wanted to just serve,” he said. “That was the plan. Stay in and make a career out of it.”
After a year in the U.S., he spent three and a half years stationed in Japan with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 12 at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, completing four deployments and three rescue operations.
Then his health changed the course of his life.
While stationed in Japan, he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Later testing revealed a rare mutated form that required extensive treatment.
“When I got back to the States, they told me it wasn’t just Crohn’s. It was mutated Crohn’s,” he said. “There were only a handful of specialists who could treat it.”
He underwent weekly transfusions, sometimes spending hours at a time hooked up to treatment. Last year, he faced a high-risk surgery with a 33 percent chance of success.
“There was less than a 40 percent chance I was going to wake up,” he said. “When I did, that was the seventh time I’ve almost died.”
Instead of closing himself off, those experiences reshaped his outlook on life.
“Through all of the negatives I’ve had, I’ve become a very happy person,” he said. “It forced my perspective to open up.”
“I just enjoy learning,” he added. “I don’t know how much longer I have anymore. So at this point, I’m just happy to learn.”
When medical issues forced him out of the military, Properish struggled to redefine himself.
“I didn’t know what to do with my life at all,” he said. “My whole perspective was I’m going to stay in. And then that was gone.”
College has been a winding road, but gaming has remained constant.
Properish has been competitive since childhood, playing Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh in tournaments before competing in Halo events as a teenager. He returned to gaming during his military years to stay connected with family back home.
“When I was overseas, it was how I connected with my family in the States,” he said.
Now, streaming serves a new purpose. Rather than chasing traditional internships, he connects with people across industries through online communities.
“I connect to people in fields I’m interested in through video games,” he said. “Sometimes it changes the direction I’m focused on.”
That search led him to American Legion Gaming. After a previous esports opportunity fell through, he applied to ALG without much expectation.
“I genuinely didn’t I didn’t think I was gonna hear back,” he said.
Then one day during his stream, someone from ALG showed up and offered him an interview. Five to six months later, Properish streams twice a week for ALG. He gravitates toward single-player titles, especially soulslike games, while also hosting community nights with multiplayer favorites.
“I like really hard single-player games,” he said. “But I try to keep it lighthearted.”
For Properish, what sets ALG apart is conversation. He says compared to others, ALG has a lot more community and conversation happening.
“There’s something new to talk about with everyone,” he said. “It’s very enjoyable to actually have a sense of community for once.”
For veterans interested in streaming, his advice is simple.
“Don’t make the same mistake I did. You don’t need a five-thousand-dollar PC,” he said. “You need a microphone, a computer, or a laptop, one monitor if you don’t have a laptop, and a community.”
“Don’t expect that the money is going to bring you people,” he added. “Expect the people is gonna help you get to the money.”
The uniform may be gone, but the mission continues. For Properish, it now lives in late-night streams and a chat filled with connection.
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