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Jonas Vasquez: A smooth veteran

Posted at 10:00 PM, Oct 14, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-14 23:20:55-04

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A man who served his country in Afghanistan and Iraq and when he returned home, decided to open up his own business.

Jonas Vasquez grew up a quick kayak ride away from the naval academy. Instead, the Annapolis High grad opted for the army, but instead he started his own business.

Right around the corner from Dock Street on the Fourth of July, he opened Taro.

He credits his family roots from South America for his avalanche of smoothie love.

"Smoothies is a science, basically what your body needed," said Vasquez.

It's hard to find a smoothie stand in Downtown Kabul, so he came up with his own recipes and now, his buddies from the 82nd Airbourne can't believe he'd gone from jumping out of planes to lumping bananas with strawberries.

But then he was hit with a brick, literally.

An actual brick which is now decorated and named for a drink came flying through his front window at 4 a.m. Then, a local artist came over and turned his plywood into a work of art.

He wasn't scared of grenades, bombs or bullets, but going into business.

Once a master sniper, Jonas Vasquez has become the master of the blender and one smooth veteran.