Combat vet cuts a rug - Entertainment, TV, Television - Navy Times

Combat vet cuts a rug

An Army ground-pounder-turned-soap opera heartthrob will vie for the mirror ball trophy on the upcoming season of “Dancing with the Stars.”

J.R. Martinez, who received severe burns while serving as an enlisted infantryman in the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq, joins Ricki Lake and David Arquette among the dozen celebrities competing this year.

“I just want people to take away that no matter through what war or battle you are fighting, that through positive thinking, through a positive attitude, you can overcome,” said the 28-year-old from Dalton, Ga., in a press conference announcing this year’s cast. “I think all of us up here are going to prove that to the 40 million people that watch this show — we are going to push ourselves to go beyond what we thought possible.”

In 2003, Martinez received burns to more than 40 percent of his body when he was trapped inside a burning Humvee after getting hit by a roadside bomb. Martinez said he saw a vision of his sister Anabel, who passed away when he was a child, and that gave him strength to stay alive while waiting for help to arrive.

After 34 painful months in recovery, enduring 33 skin grafts and other surgeries, Martinez went on to become a motivational speaker and, in 2008, began his role on ABC’s “All My Children” as combat veteran Brot Monroe.

Now, trading in his combat boots for dancing shoes, he said he’s been pushing himself to prepare for the show while taking some good-natured ribbing from his dance partner/trainer, Katina Smirnoff.

“Tough day at rehearsal — Getting frustrated w/ myself,” Martinez tweeted after a recent practice. “My arms/feet aren’t doing what I want them to do!”

In an earlier tweet, he wrote Smirnoff “thinks I have a JLO butt! She’s trying to get me to tuck it under.”

The show premieres Sept. 19 on ABC.