Changing the Narrative
Conversations with veterans with bad paper on service, camaraderie, stigma, and acceptance
Army veteran and Connecticut Team Leader for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Steve Kennedy, on the impact of his general discharge, his struggles with PTSD and depression after deployment, and finding redemption through advocating for fellow veterans
Marine Corps veteran Morgan Gray on her struggles with substance abuse after multiple deployments, recovery through mental health treatment and legal advocacy, and the healing power of sharing her story
Marine Corps veteran Conley Monk on his mental health struggles after heavy combat in Vietnam, his forty-year fight for a discharge upgrade, and his ongoing advocacy for fellow veterans with bad paper
Army veteran Michael Cacioppo on the importance of service and his decades-long fight for a discharge upgrade after receiving a less than honorable discharge because of his sexual orientation
Michael Cacioppo on the difficulties of serving as a gay man in the military under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the importance of keeping up the fight, and the validation of finally having his service properly recognized