PFC Sampson Kearns, a North Carolina Army National Guard soldier who built a loyal online following for his honesty, humor, and massive weight-loss transformation, has caught the attention of the U.S. Army’s top recruiting official.
On July 31, Kearns posted a TikTok video showing a letter, a signed photo, and a challenge coin he received from SFC Tyler Butterworth (Virginia National Guard, Army influencer) and Lt. Gen. Johnny K. Davis, the commanding general of U.S. Army Recruiting Command (USAREC).
The letter praised Kearns for the motivation and positivity he shares with his 60,000-plus TikTok followers, many of whom have followed his journey from over 400 pounds to combat engineer. Butterworth revealed that both he and Maj. Howell (@servantofleaders) had discussed collaborating with Kearns on a USAREC video, and that Lt. Gen. Davis—who shares his own Army recruiting updates and motivational messages on Instagram at @usarec_cg—was already a fan of his content, especially Kearns’ trademark “HAVVVVVIINNNNGGGGG a great day” catchphrase.
“LTG Davis also included a coin for you in appreciation of the positive message you are spreading about your time in the Army. Keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing you sometime in the near future!” Butterworth wrote.
@samkerns #millitary #army #USArmy #gohardgoguard #northcarolina #nationalguard #fortjackson #fortlenardwood #armystrong #sappers #Engineers #Tankers #19K #12B #americansoldier🇺🇸 #usa thanks @ServantofLeaders @Tyler Butterworth ♬ original sound – Sam Kerns
From Custodian to Combat Engineer
Kearns’ story isn’t the polished recruiting ad you’d expect. A self-described “gentle giant” from Salisbury, NC, he’s built a brand on raw honesty—sharing deeply personal moments, from failed first dates to his struggles with work, weight, and faith.
Before joining the Guard, Kearns worked over four years as a custodian at North Rowan High School before being fired in September 2023 under a new principal. He briefly tried jobs with the postal service and as a corrections officer but admits neither role was a good fit.
In 2023, inspired by an Army rebranding campaign emphasizing its role as a warfighting force, Kearns decided to enlist—despite being over the weight limit and wearing a long beard he saw as part of his Christian faith.
He built a makeshift home gym out of propane tanks and scrap lumber, dropped the beard, and began chronicling his enlistment process online. After being approved for the Army’s Future Soldier Preparatory Course at Fort Jackson—his self-named “Army fat camp”—he shed pounds fast. By the end of basic training, he was down to 260 pounds and could run the Army two-mile in 19 minutes.
“Call me fat, call me Private Cheeseburger, but I’m killing it here in basic training,” he told followers after graduation.
A Different Kind of Influencer
Kearns’ mix of awkward Southern charm, self-deprecating humor, and transparency has made him a polarizing but undeniably watchable figure online. Critics call his videos cringe; fans see a soldier who’s willing to bare it all—emotionally and literally—to inspire others.
Now, with the Army’s recruiting commander taking notice, it appears his unique brand of motivation may soon be part of an official USAREC campaign. Whether it’s in uniform or on TikTok, PFC Kearns seems determined to keep HAVVVVVIINNNNGGGGG a great day.
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