SAN DIEGO -- Lance Cpl. Ronnie Simpson came under fire and was wounded when he served as a Marine in Fallujah in 2004.

Now medically discharged, Simpson faces another challenge -- sailing by himself around the world.

Simpson is a man on a mission.

His boat is fully stocked and equipped. There are solar panels to provide power, wind gauges, water makers and cameras to document the whole thing.

It is called pretty gutsy considering Simpson's never done it.

"It sounded like the right idea, so I put my house up for sale, moved out here and bought a boat. I never sailed in my entire life before," Simpson said six months ago.

He has been learning ever since, reading books and getting advice from old salt by the name of Harry Bokker, who's been there and done that.

"I'd love to go with him but he's doing what he wants to do and I'm proud of him. Everyone has a dream and to just do it, he'll do fine," said Bokker.

At a nearby Starbucks, Simpson became friends with Kevin Debruin. Starbucks employees chipped in to help Simpson live his dream.

"He's a war hero. He's been injured in war and I think he can do it," said Debruin.

While Simpson admits to never having done this before he credits his training as a Marine to see him through it.

"I look at sailing across an ocean a lot like when I was in Iraq. You don't have any sleep and you get used to sleep deprivation and you get used to always being aware," said Simpson.

Heading out to sea, Simpson cuts the engine and sets sail, with his first stop in Hawaii.