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