Larry Wilcox

My name is Larry D. Wilcox. I am a U.S. Army combat veteran, author, motivational speaker, and community leader, but none of those titles explain where I come from or why I do this work. I was raised in poverty on Cleveland’s East Side, growing up in environments where survival mattered more than planning and guidance was limited. For a long time, I was just trying to make it through each day without becoming another statistic.

As a young man, I found myself at a crossroads that many people from my background face. I didn’t have many options, and I was heading toward choices that would have had permanent consequences. Joining the United States Army was not some noble calling—it was an escape. It was a way off the streets, away from bad decisions, and into structure when I desperately needed it. What started as survival eventually became transformation.

I served nearly eight years on active duty, including a combat deployment to Afghanistan and an overseas tour in South Korea. The Army challenged me in ways I wasn’t prepared for—physically, mentally, and emotionally. It gave me discipline, accountability, and direction, often through discomfort and hardship. It also exposed me to trauma that didn’t disappear when the uniform came off. The military shaped me, but it also changed me in ways I had to learn how to live with.

After separating honorably from the Army, the structure I relied on was gone, but the weight of my experiences remained. Like many veterans, I struggled with transition and unprocessed trauma. I had to make a decision: stay stuck or rebuild. Education became my way forward. I started small—one class at a time—slowly rebuilding my confidence and sense of purpose. Over time, I earned multiple college degrees and committed to lifelong learning. I am currently pursuing a Master of Social Work at Cleveland State University, where I was honored as the 2025 Student Veteran of the Year.

Today, I serve as a Recreation Center Manager for the City of Cleveland, working directly with youth and families in the same types of neighborhoods that shaped my life. My work is not just about programs or activities; it’s about creating structure, consistency, and safe spaces where young people can develop discipline, confidence, and social-emotional skills. I’ve seen what happens when kids are given support instead of labels.

In 2017, I founded Turn It Up Leadership Group LLC because I kept seeing the same problem: people are constantly told what not to do, but rarely shown how to build a life with purpose. My speaking, mentoring, and leadership work is rooted in lived experience, not theory. I don’t lead from perfection—I lead from accountability.

As an author, I write for people who feel behind, overlooked, or stuck. My work focuses on responsibility, healing, identity, and choice. I believe maturity isn’t defined by age, but by the decisions you make when no one is watching. My message resonates most with young men and veterans, but it’s for anyone willing to take ownership of their life.

I’m a father first. Presence, consistency, faith, fitness, and service keep me grounded. My mission is simple: turn survival into purpose—and help others do the same.