Meet a Warrior

Bill Jones

The events of 9/11 awakened something in then-25-year-old Bill Jones. He’d been considering serving in the military for a while, but after that day, he couldn’t wait any longer.

Donna Pratt

Donna Pratt didn’t want to be an individual.

That’s how she felt though hobbling around on crutches in Fort Stewart, Georgia, separated by thousands of miles from her military family in Iraq. 

John Rego

John Rego compares leaving the Army to a dog let off his leash. With no master to tell him where to be and no plans for life after service...

Mark Lalli

There is a gleam in his eye every time Mark Lalli thinks of both of his grandfathers. “They served in World War II,” Mark says. “It was my dream…

Nick Bennett

Nick Bennett was haunted for years by the rocket that nearly killed him in Iraq. It chased him down the highway in Indianapolis...

Keith Sekora

Keith Sekora’s friends and family had one question for him when he decided to join the Air Force after 9/11: “Haven’t you done enough?”

Joey Hooker

Joey Hooker has always been a leader. It was a trait he learned from his father, a Marine who battled on Korea’s “Frozen Chosin,” and...

Jessica Coulter

When it got to the point where Jessica Coulter could not buy groceries for herself and two sons, she knew it was time to ask for help.

Frank Sonntag

Frank Sonntag knew the sound of a falling mortar well. Insurgents had shelled the base in Balad, Iraq, for months, and the soldiers stationed there...

Bobby Woods

When Bobby Woods joined the U.S. Army in 2008, he signed on for an extra three years of service just to make sure he could be in the infantry.

Chris Gordon

Sometimes, the movies can make a real difference in our lives. They certainly did for former Army Staff Sergeant Chris Gordon. It was the movie…

Brian Sellers

Brian Sellers was all set to become a police officer. After years of rehab for his wartime injuries, and after even more years of study to...

Mike Heller

Mike Heller’s eyes transfixed on the broken gear shift in his hand. In a fit of rage, he had just snapped it off while...

Brent Whitten

As a young boy, Brent Whitten enjoyed spending time with his grandfather and hearing stories from his service in World War II.

Deron Santiny

If you’ve ever had a swollen foot…or sprained your elbow…or bruised your knee. Imagine if those injuries were to your brain.

Brett Miller

At a very young age, Brett Miller knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life. “I was in junior high school, and it was St. Patrick’s Day,” recalls Brett.

Carlos De Leon

“I wanted to find a purpose in life,” says Carlos De León about his reason for joining the Army. “And I felt being a soldier was one of the greatest…

Mike Delancey

One last holiday with his family … that’s all Mike Delancey wanted toward the end of 2003. “My mother and father separated when I was young.

Jeffrey Adams

Jeffrey Adams was only four credit hours away from earning a degree in mechanical engineering from Louisiana State University (LSU).

William (Bill) Thomas

I'm inspired by other veterans who encourage me and teach me things about PTSD - like keeping my emotions, anxiety, and anger in check…

Paul De La Cerda

Paul De La Cerda walked into the Army recruiting station and told the recruiter, “I want airborne, infantry.” The recruiter questioned Paul’s…

Claude Boushey

The paradox of being a warrior is to personify the military’s power while serving as peacemaker. That was Claude Boushey’s life...

Tad Stuart

Tad Stuart was not always certain about his future. There was a question of whether Tad would be able to fly again after...

Tom Marcum

Technical Sergeant Tom Marcum pondered how to reply to the interviewer’s question: What is something most people don’t know…

Anthony Villarreal

On June 20, 2008, in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, Anthony Villarreal’s life changed in an instant when a roadside...

Dan Smee

Dan Smee might look like your average guy next door, but upon a closer look, there's nothing remotely average...

Adam Harris

Adam Harris experienced some of the worst fighting of the war in Iraq over three consecutive tours as an infantryman...

Angie Peacock

Angie Peacock remembers the first time she connected with another post-9/11 veteran.

Antoinette Wallace

Antoinette Wallace grew up in Staten Island, NY, in the shadow of the Manhattan skyline. So when two planes crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001...

Bill Geiger

When Bill Geiger returned to civilian life after two deployments with the United States Army, he was a changed man.

Christine, Gordon, & Erik Schei

When Christine Schei’s son, Erik, was gravely injured while serving in Iraq, she immediately began caring for him...

David Guzman

Infamous as the menace of the neighborhood as a child, David Guzman hopes to be a famous chef in the future. The Purple Heart he wears…

Eric DeLion

Nothing is impossible. Eric DeLion realized this standing at 14,505 feet on the summit of Mount Whitney, the tallest...

James Rivera

James Rivera dragged his couch to an isolated field near Yulee, Florida, struck a match, and set it on fire.

Jim Mylott

A few years ago, United States Army Veteran Jim Mylott took a long, hard look at himself and saw a big hole where his life used to be.

John Goubeaux

John Goubeaux still feels the hairs on the back of his neck stand when he thinks about the...

Lisa Hopkins & Josh Sommers

When she got the call in 2010 that her son, Josh Sommers, was nearly killed by a grenade in Afghanistan...

Manny Colon

As Manny Colón saw his dream of a lifelong military career in the United States Army come to an unexpected halt, he slowly...

Michael Carrasquillo

On September 9, 2005, Michael Carrasquillo jumped to the ground from a hovering helicopter in Afghanistan, looking to help his unit capture...

Michael Pence

When Michael Pence joined the United States Marines right after his high school graduation, he imagined a life serving his...

Roberto Cruz

It was June of 2003 when Roberto Cruz proudly followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Army. He was deployed to Tikrit, Iraq in January…

Sean Sanders

Growing up, Sean Sanders was the black sheep of his family. His parents sent him to military school in eighth grade because he was getting into trouble and struggling in school.

Severa Parrish

The United States Marine Corps was as much the source of Severa Parrish’s self-confidence as it was the cause of her vulnerability.

Taniki Richard

Taniki Richard loved being a Marine. During her childhood, Taniki’s family moved so frequently she never had a chance to build strong friendships.

Bill Hansen

Bill Hansen served 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and 12 years in the Army National Guard