♪♪ ♪♪ - I JOINED THE MARINE CORPS IN OCTOBER, 1990.

UH, AFTER, UH, ONE OF MY ROOMMATES CALLED 1800 MARINES AND VOLUNTEERED AS A JOKE.

AND, I GUESS THE JOKE WAS ON THEM.

CAUSE THEY, THEY HAD TO PAY THE RENT.

I WASN'T ON THE LEASE, SO I WENT TO ALL EXPENSES PAID VACATION DOWN AT PARIS ISLAND - MYSELF, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF THESE PRO BASEBALL PLAYERS.

I WENT TO COLLEGE FOR A COUPLE YEARS, UH, PLAYED A LITTLE BASEBALL, PLAY, MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.

DIDN'T MAKE IT DECIDED I WANT TO GO BACK TO COLLEGE.

AND IF YOUR PARENTS WERE LIKE MINE YOUR DAD WAS LIKE, YOU GONNA MAKE THESE GRADES OR I DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR THAT.

SO MY BROTHERS BOTH WERE IN THE AIR FORCE.

SO I DECIDED TO GO TO THE NAVY AND GET COLLEGE PAID FOR THERE.

THAT'S HOW I ENDED UP IN THE MILITARY.

- WELL, UM, WITH ME, MY STORY IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

I WAS THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL.

I, UM, ENDED UP IN A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE AND I, I CAME FROM A GREAT FAMILY, BUT I ENDED UP PREGNANT MY JUNIOR YEAR AND MY SENIOR YEAR, I HAD MY CHILD AND COULDN'T THINK OF HOW I WAS GOING TO SUPPORT HIM, WHAT I WAS GONNA DO.

YOU KNOW, THE FATHER WAS THE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL, YOU KNOW, KING AND EVERYBODY LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS THE ISSUE.

AND SO I HAD TO THINK FOR MYSELF AND MY CHILD AND I THOUGHT WE NEEDED BENEFITS AND I WANTED MY CHILD TO BE ABLE TO BE VERSATILE AND KNOW THAT THERE IS A WORLD OUTSIDE OF INDIANA.

SO THAT'S WHEN I SIGNED IN JULY, AFTER GRADUATION.

- MY THREE UNCLES, UH, WHO HELPED RAISE ME.

I HAD ALL BEEN UNITED STATES, NAVAL OFFICERS.

SO I ALWAYS ASSUMED I'D BE IN THE SERVICE AND FLASH FORWARD.

I'M A SOPHOMORE IN COLLEGE AND HERE COMES SOME MARINE RECRUITERS WITH THOSE PRETTY DRESS-BLUE UNIFORMS.

ME AND MY BEST FRIEND SAID, YOU WANT TO BE A MARINE PILOT?

I SAYS, HELL YEAH, I WANT TO BE A JET PILOT.

SO WE GO UP AND WE SIGN UP RIGHT THEN, AND THAT WAS FOR OCS.

AND THAT WAS IT.

- MY STORY'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

MY HUSBAND WAS ACTIVE DUTY ARMY, DID IT FOR 13 YEARS.

HE ACTUALLY GOT MEDICALLY RETIRED FROM THE ARMY FROM INJURIES SUSTAINED IN IRAQ.

SO WHEN HE WAS COMING OUT, I WAS LIKE, OH, I'LL PICK UP THE TORCH AND HERE I AM EIGHT YEARS LATER.

SO.

- THAT'S GREAT - WHAT RESOURCES, IF ANY, DID YOU RELY ON IN YOUR TRANSITION FROM ACTIVE DUTY TO CIVILIAN LIFE?

THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS JUST, BEING ABLE TO ADAPT AND OVERCOME, IMPROVISE.

JUST THAT KNOWING THAT TRANSITION WAS GOING TO BE, UH, DIFFERENT, BUT HAVING THE CONFIDENCE TO KNOW THAT EVERYTHING WOULD BE FINE AND IT WOULD, THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD BE, IS A TRANSITION.

- THINGS HAVE PRETTY MUCH KIND OF CHANGED IN THE MILITARY NOW.

UM, SO WHEN I DID TRANSITION AND START MY TRANSITION, IT WAS CALLED, TAP, TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

SO THEY HELP YOU ON THE WAY OUT THE DOOR.

IT'S A FIX YOUR RESUMES, YOUR JOBS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN I JOINED THIS MILITARY FRATERNITY THAT I'M IN RIGHT NOW.

AND A LOT OF THOSE GUYS HAD ALREADY TRANSITIONED.

SO THEY HELP, UM, WITH JOBS WITH RESUMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT NOW.

SO IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE WHERE THEY JUST SEND YOU OUT THERE TO, TO GET SWALLOWED UP BY THE CIVILIAN WORLD.

SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.

- SO , UM, THEN I TRANSITIONED, I DID GO THROUGH TAPS, UM, BUT MY TRANSITIONING WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE AFTER I WENT THROUGH TAPS, I WAS SENT BACK SOMEWHERE ELSE TO START A NEW LIFE.

AND I JUST, EVEN THOUGH I WENT THROUGH TAPS, I STILL HAD TO START A BRAND NEW LIFE THAT I WASN'T ACCUSTOMED TO.

SO, IT THREW ME BACK INTO, SOMEWHAT OF A DARK HOLE.

SO, UM, AFTER YEARS OF BEING STUCK, SOMEONE REACHED OUT TO ME ABOUT SOME LOCAL RESOURCES.

UM, YES, WE KNEW ABOUT, WE KNOW ABOUT TAP.

THOSE ARE IN OUR MINDS FRESH WHEN WE'RE FRESHLY TRANSITIONING.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE STEPPING OUT THERE AND BEING THROWN INTO SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE NOT USED TO, AND YOU'RE NOT IN CONTACT WITH THOSE SAME PEOPLE, I DIDN'T HAVE A SORORITY.

I DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE.

SO IT WAS SCARY TO ME.

SO IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

IT TOOK ME YEARS TO TRANSITION INTO THE CIVILIAN WORLD.

SO NOW, I'M AN ADVOCATE.

I HAVE SO MANY RESOURCES AND I DO WHATEVER I CAN TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE.

SO, - I'M SORRY.

-YEAH.

THE RESOURCES OUT THERE ARE AVAILABLE AND UM, YEAH, WE JUST TRY TO HELP PEOPLE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

- IN 1967, WHEN I COMPLETED MY THREE YEARS OF ACTIVE DUTY IN THE MARINE CORPS, THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS TRANSITION.

THE LAST DAY OF ACTIVE DUTY.

I GOT MY PAPERS, SO I WALKED OUT OF THE DOOR.

THERE WAS NO TAP, THERE WAS NO CONSULTING ON TOP OF IT.

I JUST GOT BACK FROM VIETNAM.

WHEN I GOT HOME, NOBODY WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT VIETNAM, EVEN THOUGH WE SERVED OUR COUNTRY AS WELL AS MARINES HAD IN EVERY PREVIOUS WAR.

SO WHAT I HAD TO DO WAS IN ORDER TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL LIFE, I JUST TOOK ALL OF THE THOUGHTS OF THE PAST AND PUT THEM IN A SUBCONSCIOUS DRAWER AND THREW THE KEY AWAY FOR A LONG TIME.

SO, I JUST WENT INTO DENIAL.

- WELL, I'M CURRENTLY SERVING STILL, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT RESOURCES ARE OUT THERE JUST YET.

SO I'M PRETTY SURE I REACHED OUT TO SOME OF YOU GUYS AFTER I'M READY TO RETIRE AND BE LIKE, ALL RIGHT, HELP ME LEAD THE WAY.

- YES, ABSOLUTELY.

YES.

- ABSOLUTELY.

- IS THERE A DIFFERENT KIND OF NORMAL COMING HOME FROM WAR?

IS THERE A DIFFERENT KIND OF NORMAL COMING HOME FROM WAR?

IT IS BECAUSE YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW EVERYBODY'S GOING TO TREAT YOU HOW EVERYBODY'S GOING TO THINK.

AND I DON'T CARE IF IT'S POLITICAL SPECTRUM OR NOT.

YOU JUST DON'T KNOW IF HIS FAMILY MEMBERS OR IT'S, IF IT'S THIS, WE, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR ALL KINDS OF WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DID, OR WE SHOULDN'T BE HERE OR WE SHOULDN'T BE THERE, BUT IT THERE'S NOTHING NORMAL ABOUT COMING HOME FROM A WAR.

THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SEE ONTO MYSELF.

EVERYONE'S GOING TO ADJUST TO IT THEIR OWN WAY.

TRY BEST TO HELP EACH OTHER.

BUT, UM, THERE'S NOTHING NORMAL ABOUT COMING HOME FROM A WAR AT ALL.

- YOU'RE RIGHT.

THERE'S NOTHING NORMAL.

UM, YOU JUST COME HOME WITH A SENSE OF APPRECIATION THAT YOU MADE AT HOME.

UM, YOU APPRECIATE THE THINGS THAT YOU REALLY THOUGHT YOU NEVER APPRECIATED BEFORE WHEN YOU WENT OVER THERE.

I JUST APPRECIATED COMING HOME AND JUST THANKFUL FOR EVERYBODY AROUND ME THAT MADE IT HOME TO, AND FOR THE OTHERS THAT UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE WENT THROUGH BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU GO THROUGH WHEN YOU COME HOME.

- THE ONLY THING THAT WAS NORMAL WAS ACTUAL NORMALITY ITSELF BECAUSE, UM, WHEN I WAS IN COMBAT EVERY DAY, UM, THE ONLY THING THAT I WANTED TO DO WAS A, COMPLETE MY MISSION WITH MY MEN AND STAY ALIVE.

SO WHAT WAS NORMAL WAS WHEN I GOT HOME, I DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DYING EVERY DAY.

- UM, I WAS FORTUNATE, MY HUSBAND WAS A COMBAT VETERAN.

SO WHEN I GOT HOME, HE KNEW THE THINGS TO SAY, TO DO, TO COMFORT ME.

SO I WAS A LITTLE FORTUNATE ON THAT ASPECT.

UH,I GUESS, LOOKING AT HIS POINT OF VIEW, I JUST RODE THE WAVE WITH HIM, WHATEVER HE FELT, RODE IT WITH HIM AND IF HE NEEDED SOMETHING, I WAS THERE, BUT I'M LUCKY, I WAS VERY FORTUNATE.

I HAD A VERY SUPPORTIVE HUSBAND, I UNDERSTOOD.

I WAS LUCKY IN THAT ASPECT.

- IS THERE A DIFFERENT KIND OF NORMAL COMING HOME FROM WAR?

I, I JUST REMEMBER YOU'RE AT A, SUCH A HEIGHT, HEIGHTENED SENSE OF AWARENESS, ALL YOUR SENSES IN IT.

IT'S A GOOD THING BECAUSE I THINK ONCE THOSE SENSES ARE EXPANDED AT THAT POINT, IT BE, IT CAN BE USED IN A POSITIVE MANNER.

IT CAN ALSO LEAD TO NEGATIVE CIRCUMSTANCES.

BUT I JUST REMEMBER THAT HEIGHTENED SENSE OF AWARENESS THAT IT TOOK A MINUTE TO YOU.

YOU FEEL IT COME INCH DOWN INCH DOWN, INCH DOWN AND WHERE THE INVERSE IS.

YOU'RE SO GRATEFUL AND RELAXED.

I THINK THE PHYSICAL I GOT, I HAD THE BEST BLOOD PRESSURE MY ENTIRE LIFE, BECAUSE I WAS HOME.

I WAS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE, I WAS AT TOTAL PEACE, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, ATLANTA TRAFFIC, I WAS, YOU KNOW, YEAH, THAT SOLVED IT.

- YEAH.

- OH, GOODNESS.

DO YOU MISS BEING DEPLOYED?

HELL NO, (LAUGHTER) THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY.

- UH, I REALLY DON'T MISS BEING, I MISS BEING DEPLOYED FOR THE GOOD TIMES.

LIKE WHEN I WENT THROUGH BASIC SCHOOL AT QUANTICO FOR SIX MONTHS, WITH A BUNCH OF MARINE LIEUTENANTS, WE WERE LEARNING HOW TO LEAD MARINES IN COMBAT AND HOW TO BE OFFICERS IN GENERAL.

BUT SOME OF US SUCCEEDED IN THAT.

SO MANY OF US ARE STILL BEST FRIENDS, SO I MISS THAT.

I DON'T MISS THE, I DON'T MISS THE BAD STUFF, BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD STUFF.

- UM, OF COURSE I DON'T.

I THINK THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY I MISSED IS WHEN MY ROUNDS WERE EFFECTIVE, KNOWING THAT WE WERE, WE HAD GOOD EFFECTS ON THE FIELD, IS THE ONLY THING I MISS.

- I, I DO NOT MISS BEING DEPLOYED, BUT I'M GRATEFUL TO, TO HAVE BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE THERE'S SUCH CLARITY UH, IN LIFE, BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL WHAT THE MISSION IS DEPENDING ON OTHERS, AROUND YOU, THEM DEPENDING ON YOU, THERE'S NO NOISE.

THERE'S NO STUFF, FRICTION.

IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY, IT'S VERY CLEAR CUT.

AND THE CLARITY OF THAT I DID MISS.

- AND I'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT BETWEEN FRANK AND WILLIAM'S ANSWERS PRETTY MUCH A LITTLE BIT OF ALL OF THEM, BUT, UM, DEPLOYMENTS, YOU MISS, MISS THE FRIENDS THAT YOU DID THINGS LAND LEARN DIFFERENT THINGS WITH, UH, LIKE YOU SAY, OUT THERE.

AND THERE'S A SENSE, THERE'S SOME SENSE OF PEACE, UH, THEN BEING BACK HOME BECAUSE WHEN REALITY SETS IN, LIKE WILLIAM SAID A MINUTE AGO WITH ATLANTA TRAFFIC OR LOOKING AT THE NEWS, ALL THE BAD THINGS HAPPEN IN THE NEWS ALL THE TIME.

I DON'T MISS THAT, BUT THOSE ARE THE THERE'S GOODS AND BADS.

I MISS THE GOODS.

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ABOUT IT.

- HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY, CHANGED THE OVERALL UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION?

- UH, GEE, IT WAS MANY YEARS AGO, EVERY MARINE THAT I SERVED WITH HAD ON MARINE CORPS, GREEN.

EVERY MARINE THAT I LOOKED AT WAS MY BROTHER.

SO THERE WAS INCLUSION THEN, TODAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE.

- THERE'S A GENERAL, A GENERAL CARDEN IN THE GEORGIA NATIONAL GUARD I'M KIND OF GOING TO SAY WHAT HE SAID IS DIVERSITY IS NOT ABOUT GENDER, RACE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WHAT IT'S ABOUT IS HAVING DIVERSE PEOPLE AND THE FACT OF WHAT THEY CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE MISSION SET.

THAT'S DIVERSE.

YOU WANT THE SMARTEST AND THE BEST WITH YOU.

SO THAT'S A DIVERSION THAT I KIND OF SEE NOWADAYS.

IT'S NOT ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE, BUT WHAT WE CAN BRING TO THE TABLE TO HELP THE MISSION SET OVERALL.

- HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY, CHANGED YOUR OVERALL UNDERSTANDING OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION?

PER THE QUESTION, MY UNDERSTANDING OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.

UM, OUR I'LL GO BACK TO WHEN I SERVED.

AND FIRST THING WE LEARNED AT BOOTCAMP WAS WE'RE ALL GREEN, THAT'S IT.

AND THAT HAD A POSITIVE LASTING FOREVER ETERNAL UH, CHANGE OF MY UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THINGS.

AND I, AND IT WAS, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR IT.

- I'M NOT GONNA BE NAIVE TO SIT HERE AND SAY THAT, THAT HAS CHANGED MY UNDERSTANDING OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, UH, BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAY, OKAY, YOU COME IN, WELL, ALL GREEN, ALL BLUE NAVY OR WHATEVER ELSE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, PEOPLE EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND UH... THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO MAKE THINGS CHANGE NOW, BUT THEY AREN'T CHANGING AS FAST AS SOME OF US WOULD LIKE THEM TO CHANGE.

I KNOW MY TIME IN THE MILITARY, BEING A NAVIGATOR, WAS PROBABLY MAYBE FOUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN NAVIGATORS IN THE NAVY.

SO DIVERSITY REALLY WASN'T THERE.

SO I DID GET TREATED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT THINK YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.

YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SMART ENOUGH TO BE A NAVIGATOR OR WHATEVER ELSE.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HEAR THINGS ON THE NEWS CONSTANTLY.

THINGS ARE CHANGING AND PEOPLE SPEAKING OUT ON THEM.

SO THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE CHANGE IS TO SPEAK OUT ON THEM AND TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES, SO THAT MY CHILD, YOUR CHILD, OR YOUR GRANDCHILD, OR MY GRANDCHILD DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS QUESTION AT ALL.

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY I LOOK AT IT.

- SO LIKE YOU, I DON'T WANT TO BE NAIVE.

I DO KNOW, AND I'VE BEEN IN THE SITUATIONS WHERE THEY WANT US ALL TO FEEL LIKE WE'RE ALL EQUAL AND THEY'RE WORKING THEIR HARDEST TO DO IT.

BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE'S CHANGE THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE MADE.

BECAUSE SOME OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED DIFFERENT OUTCOMES.

DO I SEE CHANGE?

YEAH.

BUT I THINK CONVERSATIONS NEED TO BE MADE AND SOMETIMES THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE FOR OTHERS TO NOTICE THAT THINGS AREN'T THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD BE, AND UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS ARE OKAY TO HAVE.

AND PEOPLE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT CHANGE CAN BE MADE.

SO I THINK THAT'S THE WAY THAT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION WILL REALLY START BEING DEALT WITH IN THE MILITARY.

- IN WHAT WAY WOULD YOU SAY SERVING HAS IMPACTED YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FRIENDS?

(CLEARS THROAT) WELL, ME AND MY HUSBAND OBVIOUSLY COME FROM A SERVING FAMILY.

OUR CHILDREN TRAVELED A LOT.

THEY GOT TO EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND IT'S TRUE THAT YOUR MILITARY FAMILY ACTUALLY BECOMES SOMETIMES CLOSER THAN YOUR ACTUAL BLOOD FAMILY.

WE MADE A LOT OF FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY, AND I THINK IT'S SHOWN MY KIDS HOW TO BE INDEPENDENT AND SELF THINKERS.

SO I THINK IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD SERVING ON BOTH SIDES.

- WHAT WAYS WOULD YOU SAY SERVING HAS IMPACTED YOU, YOUR FAMILY, AND FRIENDS?

THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS JUST, IT IS WHAT IT IS.

I MEAN IF YOU'RE SERVING SOMEWHERE AND DEPLOYED, YOUR FAMILY'S NOT THERE.

SO I WOULDN'T CHANGE IT, BUT I MISSED MY FIRST BORN'S FIRST THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS, BIRTHDAY, FIRST STEPS, WHATEVER.

BUT YOU KNOW, I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE COME BACK.

A LOT OF THOSE WHO SERVED DID NOT COME BACK.

- I'M THE SAME WAY.

I GET EMOTIONAL.

WHEN YOU MISS YOUR KID'S FIRST, THIS OR THAT AND LATER ON IN LIFE YOU PROMISE THEM YOU'RE NOT GONNA MISS ANYTHING ELSE, AND HAPPENS THAT IT BOTHERS YOU.

BUT LIKE YOU SAID, DEPLOYMENTS ARE THE NORM.

AND I REMEMBER MY DAUGHTER, SHE GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE AND SAID, "DAD, THIS PAID FOR MY SCHOOLING.

"IT'S PAID FOR MY COLLEGE."

SO IT WAS ALL WELL WORTH IT.

BUT YOU DON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL LATER ON IN LIFE, BECAUSE INSIDE IT HURTS A TAD BIT THAT YOU MISS THOSE THINGS.

YOU CAN'T EXPLAIN THEM.

SO.

IT TOUCHED ME A LITTLE BIT.

- I HAVE THE SAME FEELING AS YOU GUYS.

BEING A SINGLE MOM, I WAS LEFT TO LEAVE MY KIDS A LOT.

A LOT OF FAMILY COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS DOING.

THEY WAS THINKING I WAS JUST TAKING IT THE EASY ROUTE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW MY YOUNGEST SON HAD AUTISM.

SO I DECIDED TO GO ACTIVE DUTY TO MAKE SURE HE HAD THE BEST CARE.

SO IT IMPACTED IN A GOOD WAY AND ALSO IN A BAD WAY.

BUT OVERALL, MY KIDS HAVE BENEFITS.

MY SON WITH AUTISM WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE AND THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANTED.

MY KIDS' EDUCATION, I MEAN, YEAH, I MISSED A LOT OF THEIR FIRSTS AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS WHEN I HAD TO GO AWAY TO SCHOOL.

BUT YOU KNOW, NOW THAT THEY'RE OLDER, THEY UNDERSTAND.

AND I FEEL LIKE I DID SOMETHING RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, BUT YOU DO MISS THOSE DAYS.

SO OVERALL, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE TO BE THERE, BUT I FEEL LIKE I DID SOMETHING THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.

- WELL, WHEN I SERVED, I WAS SINGLE, SO THERE WAS NO FAMILY TILL LATER.

MY KIDS GREW UP KNOWING I'D BEEN A MARINE CORPS COMBAT VETERAN, AND THEY WERE PROUD OF THAT.

I'VE STILL GOT MANY FRIENDS THAT I HAD THROUGH THE SERVICE.

IN FACT, MOST OF THEM ARE MY BEST FRIENDS.

CAUSE WE'VE GOT A LOT IN COMMON.

- WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF PRIOR TO JOINING THE MILITARY?

I GUESS I WOULD TELL MYSELF OR ANYONE TO TAKE THEIR TIME, RESEARCH ALL THE BRANCHES, RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT IS THAT YOU, WHY ARE YOU JOINING?

DO YOU WANT TO BE AN OPERATOR?

ARE YOU GOING IN FOR THE BENEFITS?

ARE YOU GOING, WHAT IS IT THAT'S MOTIVATING YOU TO JOIN?

SO, I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TO GET KNEECAP TO KNEECAP WITH THE BAD GUYS, THERE'S A SPOT OVER HERE FOR YOU.

IF YOU WANT TO GO IN AND LEARN A NEW SKILL, THERE'S THIS PLACE.

BUT JUST UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT'S MOTIVATING YOU TO JOIN THE MILITARY, AND THERE'S A SPOT FOR YOU.

- THE ADVICE I WOULD GIVE MYSELF IS TO FINISH COLLEGE FIRST BEFORE I DID DECIDE TO JOIN, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT AVENUES FOR ME.

AND LIKE YOU SAID, LOOK AT EVERY AREA.

YOU'VE GOT INTELLIGENCE, YOU HAVE YOUR TECHNICAL JOBS, ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS.

EVERYONE, EVERY BRANCH OF THE SERVICE.

MY BROTHERS ALWAYS RAZZED ME ABOUT AIR, MY WHOLE FAMILY'S AIR FORCE EXCEPT FOR ME.

SO I WAS THE KIND OF ODD BALL OUT.

BUT AFTER I DID MY RESEARCH, I THOUGHT THIS WAS BEST FOR ME.

SO I JUST WOULD ADVISE EVERYONE LIKE WHAT YOU SAID, HEY RESEARCH, BECAUSE WHAT YOUR FRIEND WANTS IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT OR NECESSARILY NEED.

- PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT BE READY FOR THE RIDE BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH YOUR HIGHS AND LOWS.

AND ALSO JUST, YOU KNOW, DON'T ALWAYS BE THERE TO LISTEN TO ALL THE BARRACK'S LAWYERS.

(LAUGHING) RESEARCH YOURSELF.

DON'T MAKE IT SO THAT YOUR CAREER IS IN SOMEONE ELSE'S HANDS.

MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS.

- I PASS.

- PROBABLY START RUNNING SIX MONTHS BEFORE YOU JOIN.

LIKE, OH MY GOD, I WAS 30 YEARS OLD WHEN I WENT THROUGH IT.

I WAS LIKE, "WHAT DID I DO?"

I SHOULD HAVE BEEN RUNNING FIVE MILES A DAY BEFORE I JOINED.

SO I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY, MAKE SURE YOU START RUNNING ABOUT FIVE MILES A DAY BEFORE YOU JOIN.

(LAUGHTER) LIKE SERIOUSLY.

- HAVE YOU FOUND CAMARADERIE IN CIVILIAN LIFE AFTER SERVING IN THE MILITARY?

YES, I HAVE.

LIKE I WAS SAYING BEFORE I BELONG TO THIS ORGANIZATION, KAPPA LAMDA CHI MILITARY FRATERNITY, AND A BUNCH OF LIKE-MINDED GUYS.

AND WE GO OUT, HANGING OUT TOGETHER, BARBECUES AT EACH OTHER'S HOUSES AND WE CAN ALL RELATE TO EACH OTHER'S PAST.

AND SOME OF THE YOUNGER GUYS LET THEM KNOW WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING TO GET PROMOTED TO THE NEXT LEVEL OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

MYSELF AND SOME FRIENDS JUST STARTED THIS ORGANIZATION, I GOLF FOR VETS, BECAUSE A LOT OF US ARE GOLFING NOW.

SO WE'RE GETTING THAT OFF THE GROUND SO THAT WE CAN HAVE ALL OF US GET TOGETHER.

THE MORE THE MERRIER, THE MORE TO GET A RELEASE FROM THE OUTSIDE, THE WARS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THAT THEY'RE COMING BACK.

THINGS THAT WE COULDN'T GET OR FRANK COULDN'T GET BACK IN THE DAY.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN GO GOLF FOR FREE.

CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE MOST MONEY THAT YOU COULD EVER HAVE, BUT THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO TO, GIVE BACK, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN THAT, WE CAN HAVE CAMARADERIE AFTER WE GET OUT OF THE MILITARY.

- I WOULD HAVE TO SAY, I FINALLY FOUND SOME CAMARADERIE, AND I'M SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW.

I HAVE A GREAT NETWORK, A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE I'M SURROUNDED WITH.

AND I BELIEVE I MET SOME NEW PEOPLE TODAY.

YOU GUYS MIGHT BE KEEPERS.

(LAUGHING) - YEAH, I GUESS THIS HAS TO DO WITH MY RELATIONSHIP WITH SOCIETY AT LARGE.

I GOT ALONG WITH PEOPLE BEFORE THE MILITARY, I GOT ALONG IN THE MILITARY AND I MADE A LOT OF FRIENDS SINCE I LEFT THE MILITARY.

AND A LOT OF THEM WERE PEOPLE THAT I WAS IN THE MARINE CORPS WITH.

DIDN'T HURT MY SOCIAL LIFE, HAVING SERVED IN THE MILITARY.

IN FACT, IT ENHANCED IT.

- SO YES, I HAVE FOUND CAMARADERIE IN MY CIVILIAN LIFE, I'M CURRENTLY WORKING AS A POLICE OFFICER.

SO WE TEND TO HAVE SOME OF THE SIMILAR, YOU KNOW, HELPING EACH OTHER OUT AND COMING TOGETHER, OUR BARBECUES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

SO I FOUND IT.

SO I TRADED ONE PAIR OF COMBAT BOOTS FOR ANOTHER EVERY DAY, SO.

(LAUGHING) - YES, I HAVE FOUND IT AT DIFFERENT MARINE CORPS ORGANIZATIONS, THIS AMERICAN LEGION POST, THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POSTS.

WE FOUND IT HERE IN ATLANTA.

AND I WOULD JUST SAY, LIKE FRANK SAID, YOU KNOW THAT SOME OF THE SAME FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES APPLY BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER.

AND IF YOU WANT A FRIEND BE A FRIEND, YOU KNOW.

YOU GOTTA TAKE THAT STEP, GO OUT, YOU KNOW, MAKE A LITTLE EFFORT AND YOU'LL BE AMAZED HOW MUCH CAMARADERIE YOU CAN HAVE.

- WAS THERE ENOUGH SUPPORT IN YOUR TRANSITION BACK TO CIVILIAN LIFE?

I'M GOING TO SAY THAT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN, BUT I DON'T THINK I WAS READY TO RECEIVE IT.

I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO RECEIVE IT WITH THE PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN AROUND ME.

YOU HAVE TO BE OPEN TO IT.

I'M GONNA SAY THAT.

WHEN I CAME BACK TRYING TO TRANSITION TO A NEW PLACE, MY FAMILY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO RESPOND TO ME.

YOU KNOW, EVERYONE WAS EVERYWHERE.

I WAS THE ONLY ONE HERE IN GEORGIA, BUT THERE WERE SOME OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS CLOSE BY, BUT YOU KNOW, I'D BEEN GONE SO LONG.

EVERYBODY HAD ALREADY MADE, KINDA MADE OPINIONS OF ME.

AND I'M GOING TO SAY SUPPORT WAS THERE, BUT I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO GET IT OR HOW TO RECEIVE IT.

AND IT GOES BOTH WAYS.

I CAN'T JUST PUT IT ON ANYBODY.

I HAVE TO TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT TOO.

BUT NOW I FEEL LIKE I'M IN A GOOD PLACE.

IF I ALLOW THAT PERSON IN.

- WAS THERE ENOUGH SUPPORT IN YOUR TRANSITION BACK INTO CIVILIAN LIFE?

CONVERSELY, THERE WAS NONE.

WE WERE CUT LOOSE.

WE CAME BACK FROM A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT IN VIETNAM TO A DIFFERENT HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE YOU SERVED IN VIETNAM BACK IN AMERICA.

SO THERE WAS NO TRANSITION BACK THEN.

AND YOU PEOPLE ARE FORTUNATE NOW TO HAVE THAT.

- SO THERE IS ENOUGH SUPPORT.

LIKE I SAID, I JUST GOT BACK IN 2019.

AND I KNOW WHEN YOU COME BACK AND YOU'RE D-MOVING THEY ARE LITERALLY SHOVING RESOURCES DOWN YOUR THROAT TO LET YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT ALONE OUT THERE ANYMORE.

SO THERE ARE THE SUPPORT YOU NEED OUT THERE NOW.

I MEAN, EVERYTHING LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND YOU'VE GOT BIG ARMY.

THEN YOU GOT, YOU KNOW, JUST PEOPLE BEING THERE.

SO I KNOW THERE'S ENOUGH SUPPORT OUT THERE.

JUST SEEING LIKE HOW OUR DEMO WAS.

IT'S REALLY CHANGED, REALLY CHANGED.

- I BELIEVE SO, YES.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, FRANK, WELCOME HOME BROTHER.

- [FRANK] THANK YOU.

- YES.

THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY, IS YES.

(LAUGHTER) - "WHAT'S YOUR EXPERIENCE, IF ANY, WITH PTSD?"

THIS PAST SUMMER, I WAS UP WITH MY GIRLFRIEND, UP IN THE MOUNTAINS.

WE HAD A COTTAGE, AND I STARTED HAVING NIGHTMARES AGAIN, AND I GOT UP AND WROTE A SHORT STORY ABOUT THAT NIGHTMARE I'D HAD THE NIGHT BEFORE.

IT'S QUITE A STORY.

AND I THINK THAT'S ONE WAY WE CAN GET RID OF THINGS THAT BUILD UP, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PTSD THAT EXISTS IN ME AND A LOT OF MY FRIENDS.

BUT WHEN WE CAME BACK, WE WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT IT.

IN FACT, IT'S ONLY BEEN LIKE THE LAST 10 YEARS OR SO THAT PTSD HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT.

AND I'VE GOT A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT SUFFERED FROM IT SILENTLY AND STILL DO.

SO IT'S A GOOD THING THAT OUR SOCIETY IS STARTING TO ADDRESS THAT.

- SO MY EXPERIENCE WITH PTSD IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

IT'S MORE BEING A SHOULDER FOR MY HUSBAND.

HE WAS IN IRAQ IN 2005 DURING THE SURGE.

SO HE SUFFERED A LOT MORE, THAN WHAT I WENT THROUGH IN MY 2019.

SO, MY EXPERIENCE WITH PTSD IS MORE BEING HIS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, MAKING SURE THAT HE'S GETTING TAKEN CARE OF, BECAUSE I DIDN'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO EXPERIENCE ANYTHING HE DID DURING THAT SURGE TIME IN IRAQ.

SO MY EXPERIENCE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, IN THAT ASPECT OF WHAT SOME OF YOU, OTHERS HAVE SORT OF GONE THROUGH.

- THANKS FOR TAKING CARE OF HIM.

- MY EXPERIENCE WITH PTSD IS, I WOULD SAY INITIALLY, JUST FRANK DENIAL OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.

(SCOFFS) THAT'S NOT ME.

AND THEN RECOGNIZING, IF YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH SOMETHING, WHETHER IT'S IN COMBAT OR NOT, THAT'S PRETTY EXTREME, WHATEVER IT IS; THAT HEIGHTENED AWARENESS.

I JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE IT, AND THEN DEAL WITH IT.

AND SO IT TOOK A MINUTE FOR ME TO REALIZE, JUST TO FOCUS ON SELF CONTROL, THINGS THAT PUSH MY BUTTONS, THINGS THAT DIDN'T, AND THEN JUST OWN IT, AND DEAL WITH IT.

SO I'VE HAD AN, IT'S BEEN, KNOCK ON WOOD, PRETTY POSITIVE RECENTLY.

- I THINK WITH PTSD, LIKE TALKING TO A PSYCHOLOGIST, THEY WOULD ASK YOU, WHY HAVEN'T YOU TALKED TO ANYONE ABOUT THIS, OR WHY HAVEN'T YOU... LIKE I SAID, I RETIRED IN 2009, AND YOU GUYS CAN PROBABLY, YOU ALL CAN PROBABLY RELATE IS, YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE THAT WHILE YOU'RE IN THE SERVICE, BECAUSE THAT NEXT RANK IS NOT GOING TO COME.

AND THEY GONNA THINK YOU'RE WEAK, YOU SHOULDN'T BE SUPERVISING ANYONE, OR WHATEVER ELSE.

AND I'M GLAD THAT IT'S COMING TO THE FOREFRONT, WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT IT, AND IT NOT BE A BAD THING, OR SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA DESTROY YOU, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A WEAK THING.

IT'S JUST LIKE WILLIAM SAID, YOU GOT TO GET CONTROL OF IT.

YOU GRASP IT.

WHEN PEOPLE REALIZE THAT I CAN TALK ABOUT IT AND NOT BE WEAK, THEN WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED DIFFERENT THINGS.

IT COULD BE WAR.

IT COULD BE SOMETHING YOU'RE DEALING WITH, WHATEVER.

I'M JUST GLAD THAT PEOPLE IT'S IN THE OPEN NOW AND PEOPLE CAN TALK ABOUT IT, AND FEEL OKAY TO TALK ABOUT IT.

- "SO WHAT'S YOUR EXPERIENCE, IF ANY, WITH PTSD?"

SO, EVEN TALKING ABOUT MY DEPLOYMENTS, AT TIMES, IS TRIGGERING FOR ME.

I JUST STARTED THERAPY.

AND LIKE YOU SAID BEFORE, WE WERE TAUGHT NOT TO YOU KNOW TALK ABOUT IT, BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU'RE WEAK.

BUT NOW I LET PEOPLE KNOW, WE NEED TO SHUT ALL OF THAT OUT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN KILLING ME; TO THE MIGRAINES, TO EVERYTHING I'M SUFFERING.

I NEED TO GET OVER THIS HURDLE, AND LEARN HOW TO TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING.

AND YEAH, THIS PTSD THING IS REAL.

SO, IT'S JUST LIKE TAKING THE STEPS TO GET THE HELP YOU NEED, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE READY AND OPEN.

AND NOW THAT I BECAME READY AND OPEN, I'M WORKING.

(CLEARS THROAT) - "IS THERE ANYTHING YOU REGRET ABOUT SERVING IN THE MILITARY?"

I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER; JUST MISSING SOME THINGS OUT IN THE FAMILY.

BUT OVERALL LIKE, NO.

I'VE ENJOYED EVERY BIT OF WHAT I'VE DONE.

- NO.

- NO.

- WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THAT BUS, THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I REGRETTED.

(LAUGHING) AND THEY STARTED YELLING AT ME AND I WAS LIKE, "WHAT DID I DO?"

THAT WAS THE ONLY THING.

BUT THEN AFTER THAT I WAS LIKE, OKAY, I CAN DO THIS.

- YEAH.

THE THING THAT I REGRET IS THAT, DESPITE EVERY BATTLE THAT I KNOW OF OR WAS INVOLVED IN, IN VIETNAM WITH THE MARINE CORPS, WE WON EVERY BATTLE AND EVERY FIGHT.

AND YET THERE'S A BIG L IN THE WIN-LOSS COLUMN OF AMERICA, IN VIETNAM.

BUT I REGRET THE FACT THAT OUR COUNTRY LOST THAT WAR.

- "HOW DO YOU THINK SOCIETY VIEWS THE MILITARY?"

I BELIEVE CURRENTLY IT'S MUCH MORE POSITIVE THAN IN YOUR TIMEFRAME AND THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY ON IT.

- THE MAJORITY OF SOCIETY, I DO THINK, THEY THINK POSITIVE ABOUT THE MILITARY; BUT ME DEALING WITH RECRUITING, I'M STILL IN THAT ASPECT OF THINGS.

I HEAR PARENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT SAY, "THE ONLY REASON PEOPLE JOINED THE MILITARY IS BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T SURVIVE IN THE CIVILIAN WORLD" OR "THEY WEREN'T EDUCATED ENOUGH IN SCHOOL TO GO TO COLLEGE" OR WEAK IN THAT SENSE.

BUT I THINK THE MAJORITY DOES THINK POSITIVELY ABOUT US, BUT SOME STILL HAVE THAT OLD WAY OF THINKING.

- LIKE EVERYONE IS EVERYONE ELSE IS SAYING; I DO THINK THAT SOCIETY OVERALL IS SUPPORTIVE, MORE SUPPORTIVE THAN BEFORE.

THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE PEOPLE THAT DON'T AGREE.

BUT OVERALL, I THINK THEY'RE MORE SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT'S GOING ON, AND TRYING TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO SUPPORT THE MILITARY.

- I THINK A LOT OF SOCIETY NOW DOES NOT FAVOR THE MILITARY FAVORABLY, BECAUSE OF RECENT POLITICAL SHIFTS IN THE MILITARY, AND THE FAILURE OF OUR EFFORT IN AFGHANISTAN.

I MEAN, I THINK IF WE LOOK IN THE NEWSPAPERS AND LISTEN TO THE PULSE OF THE PUBLIC, WE'LL SEE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DISSATISFACTION WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE MILITARY.

- I THINK IT'S 50/50.

SOME VIEW IT, SOME PEOPLE THINK, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, "OH, WHAT?

YOU THINK YOU'RE SPECIAL?"

OTHER PEOPLE ARE LIKE, "THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE."

SO I THINK IT'S A 50/50 THING.

- LET'S SEE WHAT'S ON HERE.

"HOW DO YOU DEFINE WHAT A VETERAN IS?"

SOMEONE WHO SERVED THEIR COUNTRY HONORABLY, HAD A GOOD CONDUCT DISCHARGE, DID THINGS THE WAY THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE, AND HONOR THEIR COUNTRY.

- SAME AS YOU: SOMEONE WHO HONORABLY SERVED THEIR COUNTRY, DID WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN NO ONE WAS LOOKING.

WAS THERE, WATCHED THEIR BROTHER AND SISTER'S BACK, HELPED EVERYBODY AROUND THAT THEY COULD.

JUST DID WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO, WHAT THEY SIGNED UP TO DO.

- A UNITED STATES VETERAN IS ONE WHO STOOD UP AND TOOK THE OATH TO DEFEND THE RED, WHITE, AND BLUE.

HOPEFULLY HE'S PROUD, AND SHE'S PROUD, OF HOW THEY SERVED.

- I'M GONNA ANSWER THIS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY, ON A SOAP BOX FOR A MINUTE.

AND I THINK IN OUR VETERAN COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, THERE'S A BIG, LET'S SAY, SPLIT LINE DOWN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN A SERVICE VETERAN AND A COMBAT VETERAN.

AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF OUR OWN PEOPLE COME AT EACH OTHER, WHETHER THEY'VE BEEN TO OR NOT.

SO I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS, LIKE YOU SAID, IF THEY STOOD UP AND TOOK AN OATH, THAT'S WHAT MAKES THEM A VETERAN.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY'VE BEEN A COMBAT OR NOT.

WE STILL NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT, NOT EVERYBODY GOT THAT OPPORTUNITY, IF YOU WANNA CALL IT AN OPPORTUNITY.

BUT, I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID.

- "HOW DO YOU DEFINE WHAT A VETERAN IS?"

I DIDN'T MAKE THIS UP, I READ IT SOMEWHERE.

BUT IT'S BASICALLY SOMEONE WHO WROTE A BLANK CHECK TO THEIR COUNTRY UP AND TO INCLUDE THEIR LIFE, PERIOD, WITH THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS BESIDE THEM, AND I THINK THAT CAPTURES THAT.

AND THE BOTTOM IS, I AGREE, JENNIFER, IF YOU GO TO MEPS, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND, DO THE OATH, YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING OR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

YOU COULD LIVE YOUR WHOLE LIFE WANTING TO BE A MARINE RIFLE PLATOON COMMANDER, AND NEVER HEAR ONE SHOT FIRED IN ANGER.

BUT YOU COULD BE, YOU KNOW, A COOK ON A NAVY SHIP, AND FALL OFF AND WIND UP AS A POW.

BUT IT ALL STARTS WITH, DID YOU TAKE THAT OATH?

AND THAT IS, TO ME, WHAT A VETERAN IS.

AND THAT'S ACTUALLY- WHERE WE'RE MEETING NOW, THE AMERICAN LEGION CHANGED THE RULES SO THAT, IF YOU SERVED, PERIOD, ANYTIME, YOU CAN BE A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION POST.

- "FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, WHAT'S THE MILITARY GIVEN YOU?"

IT GAVE ME A LOT OF SELF-ESTEEM, TO PROVE TO MYSELF THAT, UNDER PRESSURE, I COULD MAKE MYSELF PROUD OF MYSELF, AND TO HELP MY FELLOW MARINES.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, HELP THEM SURVIVE IN COMBAT.

- I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT OUT THERE: KNEE PAIN!

(LAUGHTER) I DO HAVE A LOT OF KNEE PAIN FROM ROPE, MARCHES, AND RUNNING.

BUT LIKE WHAT YOU SAID: CAMARADERIE, MAKING SOUND JUDGMENTAL QUICK DECISIONS, ON SLEEP DEPRIVED DECISIONS.

SO IT'S TAUGHT ME HOW TO BE STRONG, AND HOW TO BE A LEADER, AND A SELF THINKER.

SO IT'S TAUGHT ME A LOT.

- "FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, WHAT'S THE MILITARY GIVEN YOU?"

LEADERSHIP, FROM LEARNING HOW TO FOLLOW FIRST, THEN BEING A LEADER, AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES INTO LEADERSHIP.

I MEAN, WE COULD TALK FOR FIVE HOURS JUST ON THAT ONE WORD, BUT THROUGH THAT LEADERSHIP, ALSO UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY.

- "FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, WHAT'S THE MILITARY GIVEN YOU?"

GIVEN ME THE LEADERSHIP, GIVEN ME A GREAT EDUCATION.

GAVE ME EXPERIENCES TO VISIT PLACES I NEVER WOULD HAVE VISITED BEFORE.

AND IT ALSO GAVE ME FAMILY OUTSIDE OF MY OWN FAMILY.

THAT'S THE WAY I LOOK AT.

- "FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE?"

BOY, FOR WORSE, MAN, THESE BACK PAINS, (LAUGHTER) ALL OF THIS.

BUT FOR BETTER?

IT HAS SHOWED ME THAT I CAN DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS, THAT I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO DO.

WHO WOULD HAVE KNOWN I WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE COUNTRY SO MANY TIMES?

WHO WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT I WOULD HAVE EVEN PUT A PISTOL, OR ANYTHING, IN MY HAND?

AS A CHILD, PEOPLE WOULD LOOK AT ME, AND BE LIKE, "OH NO."

(LAUGHTER) BUT I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH THROUGH THE MILITARY.

AND WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT ME AND WAS LIKE, "OH, SHE CAN'T DO THAT."

OH YES, I CAN, AND I'LL SHOW YOU.

SO THAT SENSE OF PRIDE, AND STRENGTH, AND THE LEADERSHIP.

YEAH, WE CAN DO IT.

- "WHY WOULD I WANT TO SHARE MY STORY?"

I WANTED TO SHARE MY STORY BECAUSE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP THE PUBLIC OR SOCIETY TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE ALL KIND OF IN THIS TOGETHER, HOWEVER SOMEBODY, WHY THEY SERVE OR WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE, THAT WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AS AMERICANS.

- THAT'S A GREAT ANSWER.

AND THE REASON I WANT TO SHARE MY STORY IS BECAUSE SOME YOUNG MAN MIGHT COME UPON THIS, AND SEE IT, AND UNDERSTAND, "HEY, I CAN GO TO COLLEGE, JOIN THE MILITARY, AND STILL LEAD A SUCCESSFUL LIFE."

YOU NEVER KNOW WHOSE EXPERIENCE THEY LOOK AT, AND TAKE AND GAIN SOMETHING FROM IT.

SO I THINK IT SHOULD BE TOLD.

- I WANT MY STORY TO BE TOLD BECAUSE ESPECIALLY FOR THESE YOUNG WOMEN WHO MAY NOT HAVE ANYONE WHO'S SPEAKING FOR THEM.

WHEN I WAS YOUNG AND I WAS PREGNANT IN HIGH SCHOOL, THEY DIDN'T WANT ME TO GO ANYWHERE.

I WAS TOLD I WOULD GO TO NIGHT SCHOOL AND NOT DO ANYTHING AND I REFUSED.

I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.

THE MILITARY OFFERS ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES, YOU JUST HAVE TO BE WILLING TO TAKE IT.

WHAT OTHER ORGANIZATION CAN YOU GO TO AND PRACTICALLY CHOOSE YOUR CAREER FIELD.

- I WANT TO SHARE MY STORY FOR THE SAME REASON I WROTE MY BOOK, LULLABIES TO LIEUTENANTS, BECAUSE IT TELLS THE STORY ABOUT EVERYTHING I SAW AS A MARINE CORPS OFFICER IN COMBAT.

IT'S ALSO TO SHARE THE STORY OF HOW WE'RE ALL INVOLVED IN AMERICAN HISTORY HERE AND HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE WHEN PEOPLE EXAMINE OUR HISTORY, THEY CAN LEARN NOT TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES THAT WE'VE MADE OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

- I HEARD THERE WAS FREE LUNCH SO... (LAUGHS) I'M JUST JOKING.

UM, I CAME HERE, MY BUDDY TOLD ME ABOUT IT.

TOLD ME IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AND NOT JUST TO TELL MY STORY, BUT TO LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE'S STORIES.

LIKE JUST LISTEN TO EVERYBODY TALK AND SEEING THE DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE OF WHERE YOU COME FROM AND WHY YOU CHOSE TO SERVE.

SO IT WAS MORE OF NOT NECESSARILY TO COME HERE TO TELL MY STORY BUT TO COME HERE AND TALK TO OTHER VETERANS TO SEE WHAT THEIR STORY WAS AND THE RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE WHAT THEY'VE EXPERIENCED SO THAT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I'M NOT ALONE, SO.

(MUSIC AND BACKGROUND TALKING) (MUSIC AND BACKGROUND TALKING) - WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF PRIOR TO JOINING THE MILITARY?

RESEARCH, I MEAN, WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING AT OUR FINGERTIPS, YOU KNOW, ONLINE, FRIENDS, WORD OF MOUTH, THINGS LIKE THAT, GOOGLE, YOUTUBE, RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH.

BE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF THAT, WHETHER THAT'S A 3 OR 4 YEAR TOUR OR A 20 YEAR PLUS CAREER, KNOW WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO YOU, SHOP AROUND AND BE FULLY INFORMED.

I KNOW MY PARENTS THOUGHT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A TERRIBLE DECISION WHEN I TOLD THEM I WAS GOING TO ENLIST AND WE ACTUALLY TALKED IT OUT, TALKED WITH RECRUITERS, DID OUR OWN RESEARCH AND TALKED TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE SERVED AND WE REALIZED, YOU KNOW, IT'S OVERWHELMINGLY MORE POSITIVE THAN NEGATIVE SO, YOU KNOW, DO YOUR RESEARCH.

- IS THERE ANYTHING YOU REGRET ABOUT SERVING IN THE MILITARY?

SOMETIMES I FEEL AS IF I REGRET MEETING SOME OF THE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE THAT I DID, BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO COMPARE YOURSELF AGAINST SOME OF AMERICA'S BEST.

I'M FORTUNATE THAT, I AM GOOD FRIENDS WITH TWO- MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS AND YOU KNOW, YOU MEET THESE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE AND YOU CONSTANTLY WEIGH YOURSELF AGAINST THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND HOW AMAZING THEY ARE AS HUMANS.

AND IF I'M BEING FAIR, I DIDN'T PARTICULARLY ENJOY GETTING SHOT, SO I WOULD PROBABLY REGRET THAT.

- HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY CHANGE YOUR OVERALL UNDERSTANDING OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.

UH-YES, THE MILITARY HAS DEFINITELY CHANGED A LOT, SINCE WHEN I WENT IN, THE WAY THINGS ARE NOW AS OPPOSED TO THE WAY THINGS WERE THEN IT'S A LOT MORE OPEN NOW VERY DIVERSE WITH WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WITH CERTAIN GENDERS BEING ABLE TO DO CERTAIN CAREER FIELDS OR CERTAIN MOS'S, IN JUST CERTAIN WHAT PEOPLE GO BY, SO IT'S DEFINITELY CHANGED A LOT THEN WHEREAS BACK THEN WHEN I GOT IN, IT WAS ONE WAY, IT WAS THE CULTURE.

YOU KNOW, MALES DID CERTAIN THINGS, FEMALES DID CERTAIN THINGS AND THE WAY NOW IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT THERE IS EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ACROSS THE BOARD.

- IN WHAT WAYS WOULD YOU SAY SERVING HAS IMPACTED YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS?

FOR ME, DEFINITELY A LOT OF POSITIVE GROWTH.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU GO INTO THE MILITARY AT 18, IT DEFINITELY FORCES YOU TO GROW UP AND BE EXPOSED TO A LOT OF THINGS, EXPERIENCES YOU KNOW, BEING OUT ON YOUR OWN AT A YOUNG AGE.

SO I THINK YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE CAPABLE.

IT DOES PUT A STRAIN ON RELATIONSHIPS, FAMILY, FRIENDS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT WHAT I'VE NOTICED IN MY TIME IN MILITARY IS, YOU KNOW, THE GREATER SUPPORT CHANNELS YOU HAVE, IT DOESN'T MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE OR DEPLOY YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE STILL GOING TO BE THERE WHEN YOU GET BACK, THEY'RE STILL GOING TO KEEP IN TOUCH, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY STRENGTHENED A LOT OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS TOO CAUSE YOU KNOW, THROUGH ADVERSITY, YOU CAN KIND OF GROW FONDER.

- HOW DO YOU DEFINE WHAT A VETERAN IS?

I DEFINE A VETERAN AND IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I MEAN, SOME OF THE PEOPLE BACK THERE WERE KIND OF TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE COMBAT VETERANS AND YOU HAVE VETERANS THAT SERVED.

I DON'T REALLY CO-SIGN ON THAT VERY MUCH I BELIEVE THAT A VETERAN IS SOMEONE WHO RAISED THEIR HAND.

THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AGAINST ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC.

AND THEY EXECUTED ON THAT.

THEY SERVED THEIR COUNTRY HONORABLY.

I THINK THAT MAKES YOU A VETERAN.

- IS THERE ANYTHING YOU REGRET ABOUT SERVING IN THE MILITARY?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

THIS WAS SOME OF THE BEST TIMES I CAN IMAGINE IN MY LIFE, YOU KNOW, I LEARNED SO MUCH, MET SO MANY GREAT PEOPLE AND IT HAS MADE ME, HELPED ME TO BE THE PERSON I AM TODAY, FAR AS BEING LEARNING HOW TO DO A MULTITUDE OF THINGS, VERY OPEN DIVERSE, JUST BEING ABLE TO LIKE I SAID, I DO SEVERAL THINGS OTHER THAN MY CURRENT OCCUPATION NOW AS A POLICE OFFICER, I HAVE MY OWN BUSINESSES.

SO IN THE MILITARY, THEY ENABLED ME TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS.

- DO YOU MISS BEING DEPLOYED?

THERE ARE CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF BEING DEPLOYED THAT I DO MISS.

IT'S NICE NOT TO BE HAVING TO PAY FOR A MORTGAGE AND CAR NOTE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW, FOOD, NOT TOO BAD, THE FRIENDSHIPS.

I ALWAYS WANTED TO RETURN TO AFGHANISTAN AS A TOURIST I REALLY LIKED A COUPLE OF THE AREAS THAT I WAS IN IT WAS VERY PRETTY.

I REALLY LIKE THE CULTURE, BUT I'M PRETTY CONTENT BEING BACK HERE IN GEORGIA RIGHT NOW.

- WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF PRIOR JOINING THE MILITARY?

I THINK THE MAIN ADVICE I WOULD PROBABLY GIVE MYSELF IS TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT, AND TO, GIVE MYSELF THE OPPORTUNITY TO SMELL THE ROSES AND I DON'T HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING SO QUICKLY AND SO AGGRESSIVELY THAT THERE'S AN ENTIRE WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY AND AN ENTIRE GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY OF OPPORTUNITY, I JUST HAVE TO SLOW DOWN AND CHECK OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

- WHAT RESOURCES, IF ANY, DID YOU RELY ON IN YOUR TRANSITION FROM ACTIVE DUTY TO CIVILIAN LIFE?

WELL, AS I TRANSITIONED OVER THEY HAVE A SYSTEM NOW TO, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY DOING THE LAST PART, I'M GOING TO SAY THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS OF YOU BEING IN, THEY HAVE THIS PHASE, YOU GO THROUGH A TRANSITION PHASE TO THEY JUST GETTING YOU PREPARED FOR THE CIVILIAN LIFE, WITH LIKE JOBS OR SCHOOL, JUST WHATEVER IT IS YOU WANT TO DO TO HAVE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

SO UPON YOU ACTUALLY ENDING ON THAT LAST DAYS OF DUTY, YOU TRANSITION TO BE A SMOOTH TRANSITION OVER FOR YOU.

ALSO GETTING YOU SET UP WITH YOUR HEALTH AND BENEFITS AT THE VA.

IT'S ALL ONE SMOOTH TRANSITION OVER NOW, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT IT USED TO BE.

YOU HAVE TO GET OUT FIRST AND THEN YOU GO AND APPLY AND THEN YOU GOTTA GO THROUGH A DIFFERENT PROCESS.

- I WOULD SAY, I MEAN THE PAST 20 YEARS, YOU KNOW, MY COHORT, THE GUYS AND GALS THAT I CAME INTO THE ARMY WITH MOST OF OUR ADULT LIFE HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, WAR AND AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ AND MORE AND MORE OF US ARE, GETTING OUT AND AS THOSE CONFLICTS COME TO AN END OR AT LEAST CLOSURE FOR US WILL BE THE NEXT GENERATION WHERE WE TALK TO OUR FATHERS WHO ARE IN VIETNAM AND OUR GRANDFATHERS WHO WERE IN WORLD WAR II, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DECADES WE WILL BE THE THE OLD SALTY VETS THAT THE KIDS ARE ASKING TO COME TO THEIR SCHOOL AND TELL STORIES.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CAPTURE THAT AND KEEP IT RELEVANT, AS YOU KNOW WE KIND OF OURSELVES BECOME A PART OF HISTORY.

- DO YOU MISS BEING DEPLOYED?

I THINK SOMETIMES I REALLY DO.

THERE'S A LEVEL OF SIMPLICITY THAT EXISTS IN A NATION WHEN YOU'RE OUT WORKING DOING INFANTRY OR RANGER-CENTRIC KIND OF STUFF.

YOU'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING LATER ON THAT NIGHT OR WHO'S NOT CALLING YOUR CELLPHONE OR THE GIRLS THAT OR GUYS THAT AREN'T RESPONDING TO YOUR TEXT.

IT'S SIMPLE.

AND IT'S A MATTER OF SURVIVAL AND IT'S A MATTER OF MAKING DECISIONS THAT PROTECT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AROUND YOU AND THAT YOU LOVE AND CARE ABOUT.

I MISS THE CAMARADERIE, I MISS THE UNIFIED VISION AND ACTING ON THAT.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO DO IN AMERICA IN A CIVILIAN SETTING.

- THIS RIGHT HERE, I WAS STATIONED IN GERMANY, IN MANNHEIM GERMANY.

THIS WAS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY CAREER.

I LEARNED HOW TO SURVIVE AND BE OVERSEAS AWAY FROM FAMILY, MEET PEOPLE THAT, DIDN'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT AND THEY BECAME LIFELONG FRIENDS.

I LEARNED HOW TO STEP INTO SEVERAL ROLES OF LEADERSHIP AND JUST LEARN HOW TO JUST, IT GROOMED ME TO BE, GET UP, GET MYSELF READY FOR, TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF CIVILIAN STATUS AND ALSO I DEPLOYED HERE WITH THESE GUYS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST HARDEST DEPLOYMENTS I SAY.

IT WAS EASY BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT I WAS WITH, BUT WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF STUFF TOGETHER AND WE GOT THROUGH IT.

NOBODY DIED FRIENDS THAT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, BUT WE GOT THROUGH IT TOGETHER AND IT WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT IT MEANS A LOT TO ME.

- ABSOLUTELY.

SO MY FIRST DEPLOYMENT TO AFGHANISTAN, I WAS A QUICK REACTION FORCE, PLATOON LEADER, STATIONED IN THE CAPITAL.

AND WE'RE BASICALLY THE MILITARY VERSION OF 911.

IF SOMETHING HAPPENED, IF A FRIENDLY UNIT GOT ATTACKED, WE WERE THE FIRST ONES, THE FIRST RESPONDERS ON SCENE TO HELP OUT CASEVAC, CASUALTIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO IT WAS VERY ENJOYABLE TOO, I GOT TO SEE A LOT OF THINGS AND GET A LOT OF EXPOSURE AND THANKFULLY DIDN'T LOSE ANY OF MY GUYS.

SO IN THAT WAY, IT WAS VERY, VERY POSITIVE.

DID SEE A LOT OF BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, VERY UNFORTUNATE, BUT COMING BACK HOME, IT REALLY MAKES YOU APPRECIATE THE FREEDOMS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED EVERY DAY.

SO I WOULD SAY OVERWHELMINGLY A VERY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE.

- I'D LIKE TO TELL MY STORY BECAUSE I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE TO HEAR IT.

I THINK WE LIVE IN A TIME WHERE THINGS ARE SO EASY AND INFORMATION IS SO EASY TO GET SKEWED.

AND I THINK THAT SOCIAL MEDIA AND LOTS OF OTHER PLACES CREATE THESE ECHO CHAMBERS, WHERE THE REAL STORY DOESN'T GET TOLD.

AND SO GOING DIRECTLY TO THE SOURCE OR THE HORSE'S MOUTH, IF YOU WILL, AND TELLING MY STORY WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO NOT HAVE TO WADE THROUGH ALL THE FOG OF DISINFORMATION.

YOU CAN JUST ASK A REAL QUESTION AND I'LL GIVE YOU A REAL ANSWER, AS MY EXPERIENCE.