On June 20, 2008, in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, Anthony Villarreal’s life changed in an instant when a roadside...
Donna Pratt didn’t want to be an individual. That’s how she felt though hobbling around on crutches in Fort Stewart, Georgia...
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...
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...
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.
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...
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?”
Nick Bennett was haunted for years by the rocket that nearly killed him in Iraq. It chased him down the highway in Indianapolis...
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…
Specialist Steve Bohn smiles and says, “I grew up surrounded by witches.” He’s talking specifically of Salem, Massachusetts – calling it “the…
“Something like 96 percent of all head casualties die in combat. I was familiar with that statistic even before I left, thanks to my...
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...
Chances are good you’ve never met anyone quite like Luke Murphy. And he’s proud of the things that set him apart. “I always wanted one,” Luke says…
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…
Jeffrey Adams was only four credit hours away from earning a degree in mechanical engineering from Louisiana State University (LSU).
When Andrew Harriman first became involved with Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP), he says he was intrigued by the…
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.
“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…
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.
Life as he knew it ended for Chad Brumpton on Mother’s Day 2005, along the banks of Iraq’s Euphrates River.
If you’ve ever had a swollen foot…or sprained your elbow…or bruised your knee. Imagine if those injuries were to your brain.
Brent Whitten’s wife soon became known as the waitress whose husband calls from Iraq. Brent and Rachel married a week after graduating…
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...
Technical Sergeant Tom Marcum pondered how to reply to the interviewer’s question: What is something most people don’t know…
Tad Stuart was not always certain about his future. There was a question of whether Tad would be able to fly again after...
The paradox of being a warrior is to personify the military’s power while serving as peacemaker. That was Claude Boushey’s life...
Paul De La Cerda walked into the Army recruiting station and told the recruiter, “I want airborne, infantry.” The recruiter questioned Paul’s…
I'm inspired by other veterans who encourage me and teach me things about PTSD - like keeping my emotions, anxiety, and anger in check…
Adam Harris experienced some of the worst fighting of the war in Iraq over three consecutive tours as an infantryman...
Life has taught Dozer Reed an important truth about the fabled glass of water: “The glass isn’t half empty or half full...
Dan Smee might look like your average guy next door, but upon a closer look, there's nothing remotely average...
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…
Nothing is impossible. Eric DeLion realized this standing at 14,505 feet on the summit of Mount Whitney, the tallest...
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…
The United States Marine Corps was as much the source of Severa Parrish’s self-confidence as it was the cause of her vulnerability.
When Christine Schei’s son, Erik, was gravely injured while serving in Iraq, she immediately began caring for him...
What Nicky Norwood craves most are moments of peace with his family. These could be playing catch with his...
When she got the call in 2010 that her son, Josh Sommers, was nearly killed by a grenade in Afghanistan...
James Rivera dragged his couch to an isolated field near Yulee, Florida, struck a match, and set it on fire.
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.
As Manny Colón saw his dream of a lifelong military career in the United States Army come to an unexpected halt, he slowly...
When Michael Pence joined the United States Marines right after his high school graduation, he imagined a life serving his...
For WWP Alumnus, Tim McDonough, the message is clear: “You don’t have to be on the front line, kicking in doors...
When Bill Geiger returned to civilian life after two deployments with the United States Army, he was a changed man.
John Goubeaux still feels the hairs on the back of his neck stand when he thinks about the...
