J.B., a Jobs2Vets Success Story
The Side-effects of Growing up in a Military Family
I am a first generation Honduran American born in 1983 in Okinawa, Japan: my father—anUS Army soldier of 22 years—was stationed there for an assignment. Both my mother and father were raised in a small village in Honduras, and I am their middle child between my brother and my sister. My father's military career led him overseas, and I was consequently raised traveling the world across Japan, the Philippines, Korea, and Panama.
Growing up in a military family meant that all of our lives were interrupted when my father’s assignment changed. Continuously changing friends and homes was difficult. We were all impacted, but my mother took the hardest toll. Experiencing what I now realize to be the side-effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), my father was abusive toward my mother for as long as I can remember. I internalized much of what was happening and would be bothered by those feelings until adulthood.
The Onset of Substance Abuse and Depression
Following in my father’s footsteps, I returned to what I knew and joined the US Army a few months after I graduated from high school in 2004. I served stateside as a Network Switch System Operator and Maintainer in the Signal Corps: setting-up tactical communication networks to relay communication for artillery, infantry, and cavalry units in the field. After becoming a solider, I was suddenly diagnosed with debilitating cluster headaches. My doctors theorized that my condition was linked to the telecommunication equipment that I was using.
It was not long before I was psychologically devastated by the chronic, unpredictable, and horrific pain attacks on my brain. I struggled to cope with these symptoms, and I slipped into depression knowing that tormenting headaches were imminent every day. Despite excellent medical care from the US Army, I could not find relief. Out of desperation, I began self-medicating with marijuana. Even though the pain relented, I was discharged from the US Army under honorable conditions for “drug abuse” after two positive readings.
Freefalling to the Lowest Point in My Life
My abuse of alcohol accelerated and became unmanageable when I came home from the military. Within the first year of being home I committed my first DUI, and I did not know how to respond to the incident.In hindsight, I realize that I never properly transitioned to civilian life. On top of being depressed—due in part to the embarrassing conditions of my discharge—I was still without treatment for my incapacitating cluster headaches. So, I ended up in a series of unhealthy relationshipsto help my psyche cope. Meanwhile, I struggled to hold onto sporadic jobs in the food service industry.
My mental health worsened, and I was incapable of focusing on my life because I was dependent on folly thrills and being passed-out drunk to feel better. At one point, through serendipity, I had a great job as a line cook at a reputable hotel-restaurant. However, I quickly fell into a tailspin. I had a prolonged episode of incidents where I lost an important personal relationship, recklessly committed two more DUIs within two weeks and ultimately lost my driver license and had to quit my job. I self-destructed: I felt pained, helpless and unstable at what I now consider to be the lowest point in my life.
Seeing Myself in a Different and Positive Direction
I regained my sensesin a brief moment of clarity, and realized the gravity of my substance abuse, depression, and repeated DUI convictions. Overwhelmed by despair, I contacted the Veterans Affairs New Jersey Healthcare System (VANJ) for help. It immediately entered me into an in-patient substance abuse treatment program, and after completing 30 days of intensive treatment, I was transferred to the VANJ’s Domiciliary Care Program for further rehabilitation.Over the course of six months of treatment, I was finally stable, sober, and receiving propercare for my cluster headaches, but here again I was depressed and pessimistic about the overall trajectory of my life.
My challenges were simplified, however, when I joined MTI IBD’s Jobs2Vets program. My Peer Support Coach and Employment Specialistpersuaded me to see myself in a different and positive direction, and they immediately began working on reducing my barriers to employment, integrating my family into my recovery, and guiding me through housing decisions. Jobs2Vets contacted my treatment team at the Domiciliary and arranged for me to work in a supported employment position at its Veterans Greenhouse –one of the nonprofit’s three social enterprises that provides work restoration to homeless Veterans in recovery.
Jobs2Vets Motivated Me to Face My Fears
Being integrated into the community, outside of the walls of the VANJ, was revitalizing and made me feel balanced. Since one of my life-goals is to start a business, Jobs2Vets enrolled me into a 12-week community business academy that gave me hands-on training in business planning and management. I enjoyed learning how to do business projections, product pricing, marketing techniques, sales negotiation, and management skills. After doing well at the Greenhouse, I was transferred to Foxhole Café and Catering to fill a vacancy for a cook position.
This put me even closer to my goal of returning to the culinary workforce, and exposed me to the processes of managing a food business.My employment specialist created a professional resume for me, and began introducing me to established chefs who are hiring in addition to other avenues to employ myself. However, my three DUIs were still a barrier to employment. Recognizing this, the Jobs2Vets team motivated me to face my fears and helped me obtain legal recourse. In fact—the CEO of MTI IBD, Wendell Knight, was at all of my court appearances with letters of support in hand. Today, I am very grateful to say that I am no longer going to jail.
The Difference between MTI IBD and the VANJ
The difference between MTI IBD and the VANJ is the nonprofit’s individualized casework approach that emphasizes positive encouragement, employment, and community integration. They were responsible for helping me identify my life-goals and the obstacles blocking my career. This ended up being a great compliment to the VANJ’s programs, which generally emphasized sobriety above all other things. My substance abuse and mental health is under control, and I am currently looking forward to being placed into community-based housing soon. Once that is solidified, Jobs2Vets is going to place me into a job. I want to thank MTI IBD and the VANJ for giving me back my life. I am no longer bound or tormented by my past and current conflicts.