Ed knew he needed to do something about his weight. He had to buy a new belt; he couldn’t zip his jacket or tie his shoes. But the day he boarded a plane to visit his granddaughter and had to ask for a seatbelt extender, he realized he needed to get serious about his health. “That was the most embarrassing moment in my life,” he says. As a retired Navy officer, Ed hadn’t felt the pride that comes with putting on his uniform in nearly 20 years. “People who haven’t served have a hard time understanding what it’s like to wear the uniform,” he says. During the last year and a half, with the help of Dr. John Cleek, Ed lost more than 100 pounds. And this Independence Day, Ed stood in uniform with fellow veterans to be honored by his church congregation.