A Veteran's Mission For Better Health Transcript
NARRATOR: Charonda Taylor, an adventurous young woman,
enlisted in the United States Air Force to serve her country. During her 8 years in service,
Charonda worked as an intelligence analyst in both Qatar and Iraq.
CHARONDA: We had to focus on our mission. We really
didn’t have a lot of time to do typical things you would do in normal life. My primary
concern was keeping our aircrew safe.
NARRATOR: Once she completed her call to duty, Charonda’s
shift back into civilian life was more challenging than anticipated. Her family was the first
to recognize she was not the same person as she was pre-deployment.
FATHER: Charonda was not the Charonda I knew when she left. It was obvious she was hurting.
MOTHER: She cried a lot. That was the biggest thing.
FATHER: It was obvious she was hurting.
MOTHER: It was very hard for her to explain what she’d been through, and we didn’t
know how to fix it.
NARRATOR: In addition to emotional challenges, Charonda
faced many physical ailments. She had severe joint pain that started in Iraq, and worsened
upon her return home. Walking was difficult, so she began to use a wheelchair.
CHARONDA: Honestly, I really didn’t have any hope
for my future. I just felt like my life was falling apart. I was pretty depressed, my
health was falling apart. I didn’t have any hope that things would get any better.
NARRATOR: Charonda made the decision to reach out and
ask for the help she needed. She contacted the OEF/OIF coordinator at the Delaware VA
and began therapy and medication. She was also referred to the War Related Illness and
Injury Study Center – a national program focused on responding to Veterans with post-deployment
health concerns.
WRIISC REPRESENTATIVE: At our center we focus on improving care and
quality of life for Veterans. By providing Veterans comprehensive clinical evaluations
we are able to look at the big picture and provide each veteran with and individualized
treatment plan – or road map- for managing their current health.
CHARONDA: When I went to the WRIISC, they actually sat
me down with different specialists. Each one of them did different evaluations and took
the time to answer all of my questions. I had a lot of questions.
CHARONDA: I never really put all the pieces of what
was going on with me – physically, mentally, emotionally – together. The WRIISC roadmap
was very helpful. It took each one of those pieces and broke down as step-by-step.
WRIISC CLINICIAN: A year ago I met with Charonda and her goal
was to make it through the day. It’s remarkable how this young woman has strived to achieve
her goal in all aspects of her psychosocial well-being.
NARRATOR: Charonda now serves as a military and Veteran
constituent advocate for U.S. Senator Kaufman of Delaware. She believes her own military
experience has given her a unique perspective enabling her to better relate to and advocate
for other Veterans in need.
CHARONDA: I think it’s a wonderful opportunity because
a lot of people that work with Veterans haven’t been in their shoes. Myself, personally, I
have. So, it gives me a different perspective.
NARRATOR: When asked about how Veterans can better manage
their transitions back home, Charonda replied:
CHARONDA: I would tell them to deal with their problems
head-on. Don’t wait for someone to find you, to help you find solutions. If you have
a problem, look for answers. There are plenty of resources out there but you have to be
proactive about getting better.