In 2007 I enlisted in the Michigan Army National Guard
In 2007 I enlisted in the Michigan Army National Guard

I wanted to be the person to hopefully give back to my community in some capacity. I
I wanted to be the person to hopefully give back to my community in some capacity. I

Enlisted and United States Marine Corps back in 2005 straight out of high school I call myself
Enlisted and United States Marine Corps back in 2005 straight out of high school I call myself

fall 2006 in
fall 2006 in

Ramadi Iraq, I heard the Marine Corps was the toughest out there
Ramadi Iraq, I heard the Marine Corps was the toughest out there

So, of course I had to go there. I had a degree in Middle East and North African Studies in Arabic. Nobody was interested
So, of course I had to go there. I had a degree in Middle East and North African Studies in Arabic. Nobody was interested

I had nine hundred dollars a month in student loans and no job
I had nine hundred dollars a month in student loans and no job

So Uncle Sam was kind enough to tell me that you know, I could sign up with him for four years
So Uncle Sam was kind enough to tell me that you know, I could sign up with him for four years

and uh
and uh

I was in for
I was in for

pretty rude awakening the military part hits you pretty much as soon as you step off the bus at boot camp and
pretty rude awakening the military part hits you pretty much as soon as you step off the bus at boot camp and

For me and the sacrifice part hits when you miss your first holidays with your family my first 20 months
For me and the sacrifice part hits when you miss your first holidays with your family my first 20 months

I spent a total three weeks home. I'm leaving in two days
I spent a total three weeks home. I'm leaving in two days

I don't know if I'm going somewhere hot
I don't know if I'm going somewhere hot

But I have to get on the plane and go men and women when they sign up to serve they don't always know
But I have to get on the plane and go men and women when they sign up to serve they don't always know

Exactly what they're getting into
Exactly what they're getting into

Nobody tells you the horror of seeing a friend blown away
Nobody tells you the horror of seeing a friend blown away

Nobody tells you that you're gonna have to haul a body for a quarter of a mile. Pick up body parts
Nobody tells you that you're gonna have to haul a body for a quarter of a mile. Pick up body parts

And put them in a bag
And put them in a bag

Nobody tells you you're gonna lose
Nobody tells you you're gonna lose

Friend
Friend

It hit me like a ton of bricks interesting stressful absolutely tough
It hit me like a ton of bricks interesting stressful absolutely tough

Our job basically was to get him I went from feeling like I was 21 to 40. You never know
Our job basically was to get him I went from feeling like I was 21 to 40. You never know

What's gonna happen in Murphy's Law is a hell of a thing. It changes you to your core and we
What's gonna happen in Murphy's Law is a hell of a thing. It changes you to your core and we

shot
shot

a missile and dropped a bomb on a
a missile and dropped a bomb on a

Van like a I don't know like a panel van and
Van like a I don't know like a panel van and

the door the
the door the

Panel vans on fire the doors open up people start running. So you're chasing them. You're now flying around to kind of follow them to
Panel vans on fire the doors open up people start running. So you're chasing them. You're now flying around to kind of follow them to

Shoot again, and there's the driver with no legs. I mean he's bleeding
Shoot again, and there's the driver with no legs. I mean he's bleeding

I bet you're coming around so you can kill his buddies. You don't even really think about it anymore
I bet you're coming around so you can kill his buddies. You don't even really think about it anymore

You're just you're just doing it. It's another day. Just another day. I was either shot at or mortared
You're just you're just doing it. It's another day. Just another day. I was either shot at or mortared

Every day I was there then you get about six months to a year out and then it's holy shit. What did I do?
Every day I was there then you get about six months to a year out and then it's holy shit. What did I do?

when I came home from Afghanistan one of the more
when I came home from Afghanistan one of the more

shocking experiences for me in my military experience was
shocking experiences for me in my military experience was

The fact that my daughter didn't know who I was she was afraid of me
The fact that my daughter didn't know who I was she was afraid of me

My oldest daughter wrote this speech for Veterans Day
My oldest daughter wrote this speech for Veterans Day

My dad was deployed for three years now
My dad was deployed for three years now

Then back to your school pictures three years ago
Then back to your school pictures three years ago

Tell me nothing else changed
Tell me nothing else changed

That's the true test of patriotism
That's the true test of patriotism

the sacrifice
the sacrifice

When you go into the military
When you go into the military

They take six eight ten twelve weeks to train you how to operate in that milieu
They take six eight ten twelve weeks to train you how to operate in that milieu

You don't get that same amount of training when you get out. One of our families has talked about this phenomenon often of
You don't get that same amount of training when you get out. One of our families has talked about this phenomenon often of

Even when the parade is over
Even when the parade is over

Even when everyone else goes home I closed the door and war is still inside
Even when everyone else goes home I closed the door and war is still inside

My home war is hell coming back isn't much better
My home war is hell coming back isn't much better

Most people want to go back to small-town USA right wherever they joined
Most people want to go back to small-town USA right wherever they joined

They want to go home to you can't go home
They want to go home to you can't go home

Home is not the same as it was when you left and you're not the same as you were when you left
Home is not the same as it was when you left and you're not the same as you were when you left

Your up here and the world is down here
Your up here and the world is down here

You don't know what to do with yourself
You don't know what to do with yourself

You can't sit still you're kind of putting on a scratchy sweater
You can't sit still you're kind of putting on a scratchy sweater

in the sense that you're never really comfortable you take the uniform off and
in the sense that you're never really comfortable you take the uniform off and

It's something that you can't
It's something that you can't

prepare for you're
prepare for you're

Crying yourself to sleep because you used to be so amazing and now nobody will look at you when you leave the service you're atomized
Crying yourself to sleep because you used to be so amazing and now nobody will look at you when you leave the service you're atomized

These military men and women are determined to take care of their business
These military men and women are determined to take care of their business

Unfortunately, they don't really understand what that what what what they're facing. I didn't have the tools to recognize
Unfortunately, they don't really understand what that what what what they're facing. I didn't have the tools to recognize

That my emotions had control
That my emotions had control

I didn't have control
I didn't have control

One of the things we've work to do at University of Michigan is to create these
One of the things we've work to do at University of Michigan is to create these

Innovative and exciting programs to help service members veterans and their family make these transitions
Innovative and exciting programs to help service members veterans and their family make these transitions

Power appears can cannot be
Power appears can cannot be

Overstated buddy-buddy is a group of veteran volunteers that help other veterans throughout the state. We have trained more than
Overstated buddy-buddy is a group of veteran volunteers that help other veterans throughout the state. We have trained more than

350 volunteer veterans on how to reach out and connect your resources
350 volunteer veterans on how to reach out and connect your resources

Since 2001
Since 2001

2.7 million veterans have returned to higher education and the one should go to school
2.7 million veterans have returned to higher education and the one should go to school

Now you have to have add on the transition of starting college in some capacity
Now you have to have add on the transition of starting college in some capacity

The specific program that was valuable for me was paved there's resources available and there's people who want to help
The specific program that was valuable for me was paved there's resources available and there's people who want to help

One out of three children who have experienced a military deployment will report symptoms that are clinically
One out of three children who have experienced a military deployment will report symptoms that are clinically

significant strong families works to help parents
significant strong families works to help parents

reconnect with their children around bonding and attachment
reconnect with their children around bonding and attachment

Being able to read each other's cues and being able to respond in ways that promote healthy relationships
Being able to read each other's cues and being able to respond in ways that promote healthy relationships

Homefront strong is an eight-week intervention that we offer in a group format and
Homefront strong is an eight-week intervention that we offer in a group format and

focuses very
focuses very

Specifically on what the spouse is experiencing or what the partner is experiencing and how can we assure that person up?
Specifically on what the spouse is experiencing or what the partner is experiencing and how can we assure that person up?

Research is
Research is

coming out showing that our female veterans are struggling and they're struggling mightily and all I knew is I was super depressed and I wanted
coming out showing that our female veterans are struggling and they're struggling mightily and all I knew is I was super depressed and I wanted

to run my car into a tree they're struggling more with suicide more with alcohol use and abuse and in general with their
to run my car into a tree they're struggling more with suicide more with alcohol use and abuse and in general with their

Transition back to the civilian world. One of the programs I work on is
Transition back to the civilian world. One of the programs I work on is

Near and dear to my heart because it's specifically for female veterans. They knew where I was talking about. They knew that struggle with
Near and dear to my heart because it's specifically for female veterans. They knew where I was talking about. They knew that struggle with

Transition and finding a job keeping a job. I
Transition and finding a job keeping a job. I

constantly reflect what my life would have been like had there been a program like this it gave me a ladder out of
constantly reflect what my life would have been like had there been a program like this it gave me a ladder out of

the hole that I was in the the young people that volunteered today and
the hole that I was in the the young people that volunteered today and

Signed on a piece of paper that they're willing to sacrifice their life for their country
Signed on a piece of paper that they're willing to sacrifice their life for their country

We can't lose another veteran
We can't lose another veteran

MEMS man is poised to make an even greater impact throughout the country
MEMS man is poised to make an even greater impact throughout the country

we're seeing with this generation of veterans a true commitment to
we're seeing with this generation of veterans a true commitment to

Continuing to give it'd be a shame to go through all these challenges and I've been through
Continuing to give it'd be a shame to go through all these challenges and I've been through

Most of them and not be able to share this information with somebody else
Most of them and not be able to share this information with somebody else

That's coming through that doesn't know that these challenges are waiting for them
That's coming through that doesn't know that these challenges are waiting for them

It's been it's been great to be able to help people I hope to do more of it
It's been it's been great to be able to help people I hope to do more of it