Hope.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Multiple people in my family clean my father, are veterans.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Troops that have been to war and now they're.

Speaker 3 (00:10):
Back and think and be grateful for their service.

Speaker 4 (00:13):
Sacrifice, love for their country, just unselfishness, all that they
do for us.

Speaker 1 (00:18):
There are some people in this country who take extraordinary
steps to provide for the freedom and security. We forget
that those people exist. We know them as the Army, Navy,
Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. They call themselves soldiers, seals, rangers, airmen, sailors,
devil dogs, and so much more. We call them fathers, brothers,

(00:44):
sons and husbands, mothers, daughters, sisters and wives. We call
them friend and neighbor. These veterans answered the call. Now
we answer Theirs are the best our country has to offer,
and we love them. Today, we honor them and we

(01:07):
serve them. David Malsby is your host, and he welcomes
you to this community of veterans. As together we are
building the road to.

Speaker 3 (01:21):
Hope and glad to have you along. On a Sunday afternoon,
those of you listening through the KPRC to nine to
five OO on the AM dial here in Houston, Texas,
thank you for joining us. Those of you listening through podcasts.
We truly appreciate you not only listening, but hit that
subscribe button. It'll automatically download each and every week when
the new show drops, and truly appreciate it when you share.

(01:44):
You never know who might come into contact with our
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and sharing. A big thank you to our sponsors allow
us a little bit of time spend with you each
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All right, on the show with us today. We've got
a couple of combat vets with us. One currently on
our staff and been here for a while've been on
the show a few times. Yes, sir, Justin reintroduce yourself

(03:11):
to the world, because it's been a minute now. My
name is Justin.

Speaker 2 (03:14):
I'm a Marine Corps combat veteran of Kosovo. I currently
work at Camp Hope. It's been three years now, this
month is when I started. But I am the legal
resident liaison.

Speaker 3 (03:27):
So to John Doe driving around six' ten right, now
He i'm not really sure what that. Means so SO
i handle the national liaise with the different probations, courts
district attorneys to make sure the veterans Of Camp hope
are doing what they're supposed to be doing and where

(03:47):
they are supposed to. Be and it's pretty.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Amazing we get a lot of small, victories but sometimes
guys are facing some cases and they get it an
opportunity to come To Camp hope and change their life
and instead of going to jail and just being thrown
in the, slammer the judges and district attorneys see the
change in them and they reduce their.

Speaker 3 (04:13):
Sentence, yeah and you, know it's one of those things
we can't quote, UNQUOTE i guess advertise or market because
you can't guarantee what a judge is going to do
in any given, court in any given. Case but we
have seen some guys come through not expecting to get

(04:37):
their record cleaned, up only to find out once they've
completed the, program the judge did it completely wiped it.
UP i, mean it's just been incredible to get to
see some of those. Moments it's.

Speaker 2 (04:48):
Amazing it's amazing these, guys AND i believe every judge
and every lawyer they go into the profession because they
want to help. People and it definitely doesn't take away
what some of us have, done but it may explain
it a little. Bit going around with UNDIAGNOSED ptsd and no,

(05:09):
treatment you get the, anger maybe the self medication so
it doesn't take it, away but it kind of explains.
It and then we have an opportunity to come To
Camp hope and change our lives and put that behind.
Us and LIKE i said, that the, testimonies it comes
from the guy's. Heart it's not what they, say it's their.
Actions and whenever they go back to their courts and

(05:31):
they speak to the, judge and the same judge that's
trying to help this guy and he actually sees that
change in that, person it's amazing to see. It like you,
said it doesn't always work. OUT i don't sell, it
but if the guy's willing to, change willing to do the,
work and it's, evident, man it's.

Speaker 3 (05:51):
Evident. Yeah one of the things always better, choices better. Results, yes,
sir make better, choices things are going to go a
little better for. You in, fact here In, houston this
is mid two, Thousand somewhere around two thousand and six or,
Seven Judge March March Mark carter began the First Felony

(06:17):
Veterans court here In. Houston it was one of the,
FIRST i think maybe like a second in the, nation
and it took him while because he had to work
through the state legislature and get all that set. Up
but he worked really really hard at it because he
was seeing guys coming home and getting into trouble pretty.
Quickly there was no way for him through his court
system at the time to help, them and he was

(06:37):
seeing it like they just need a little bit of.
Help but he got that set, up and we've had
a lot of guys come through our. Program we now
have Two veterans courts here In. Houston we've had a
lot of guys come into our program through one of.
Those so truly to appreciate those judges who are able
to do. That we don't have a lot of time,
here but just real, quick we Got, chris if you

(06:59):
want to introduce yourself and when we come back from the,
break we'll kind of get into your. Story.

Speaker 4 (07:03):
Yep, CHRIS Us army four two or Combat vet did
one FOR oif and one and three back to back
to back rotations over and our acts starting to know
three with the initial, push.

Speaker 3 (07:16):
Got the frequent flyer. Card it's pretty, good just so much,
fun So i'll just keep doing.

Speaker 4 (07:22):
It, yeah we didn't have a.

Speaker 3 (07:24):
Choice, YEAH i, KNOW i. Know for for you, know
those kind of stories just they hurt my heart just
hearing them like that's that's. Insane, anyway we're going to
get Into chris's story a little bit after a quick.
Break we'll be back with More road To Hope radio
in just a, moment and welcome Back road To. Hope.

(08:07):
Ray i'm glad to have you along as we get
into this. Story. One we're not a war story, show
so don't but still we'll touch on just a little
bit Of chris's time four, tours you, know and all
that that comes with. That so we will get into
that just a little, bit but not. Much but between
that and talking about the reintegration and coming home and

(08:30):
some of those. Issues we do know and understand that
these can be triggering to some as they hear some
of these, stories and we want to make sure everybody
has our. Number this is Our Combat Trauma Crisis support.
Line eight seven seven seven one seven seventy eight seventy.
Three give that to you. Again there's a lot of

(08:51):
sevens in. There eight seven seven seven one seven seventy
eight seventy. Three now here's what you need to know
and understand about. That it has answered twenty four to
seven three sixty five by a combat. VET i want
you to know and understand that a combat vet is
going to answer the. Phone eight seven seven seven one

(09:13):
seven seventy eight seventy. Three it's not a psych it's
not someone just reading answers off the. Screen it's someone
who's been, there done, that come through our, program and
received a good amount of additional training on suicide prevention
and other such. Things so they are qualified to answer the.
Phone but you just need to know it's somebody that

(09:34):
truly does. Understand how many times do you think you've
had what we commonly call the bad phone around our? Place?

Speaker 2 (09:41):
OH i think it's about every, month once a, month
and anywhere between two and thirteen fifteen, calls and, man
it's it's it's the nicest. Thing once you tell the guy, like, hey,
MAN i hear. You i'm a, marine and you can
just hear it in their, Voice you're, like, oh thank.
Goodness you know they don't have to explain, anything they

(10:02):
can just.

Speaker 4 (10:02):
Talk.

Speaker 3 (10:03):
Yeah it means the. World so just eight seven seven
seven one seven seventy eight seventy. Three even if you're
not of, that please put that in your. Phone you
never know who you might come across that could use
that number and you'd be kicking yourself because you, know
oh what was that number? Again so go ahead and
put on the phone eight seven seven seven one seven
seventy eight seventy. Three before we get back Into chris's,
story just real, quick a lot of things go wrong

(10:27):
at THE Ptsd foundation Of america And Camp. Hope we
encourage you to check out the WEBSITE ptsdusa dot, org
but also our social. Media look. This people ask me
all the time how CAN i? Help and of course
every nonprofit in the world needs. Money we get something
from the electric company every single, month surprising to me

(10:47):
justin it's not a thank you note for taking care
of our. Bets it's a very large. Bill and you,
know if you ever run, business you know and understand
there's a lot of expense in doing what we. Do
but everyone can follow us on social Media, Facebook, instagram
x formerly know, This, twitter all those HANDLES PTSD. Usa
just Think Post Traumatic Express DISORDER PTSD. Usa if you'll follow,

(11:10):
us reshare READ i don't know that is it? REACTS
i mean there's to say retweet what reacts just sounds.
Weird sharing the stories On instagram it's, free it costs you,
nothing just hit the share button and it's a great
way to share our. Story and again it costs. Nothing,

(11:32):
Also i've always failed to mention, this but also our
YouTube channel which is ALSO PTSD, usa and of course
this Show road To Hope radio wherever you listen to,
Podcasts road To Hope radio and all that's. Free Next, No, No
may the, third we're just a couple of weeks away
one of those fun. Events there's a lot of different
we call a third party. Fundraiser other folks do in

(11:54):
fundraisers that benefit. Us the, big the largest crawfish boil
in the world happened a few years ago right here In.
Houston few friends of. Ours they Had Guinness book Of
World records out to verify. It fifty two THOUSAND i
believe it was fifty two thousand. POUNDS i don't know
how many semi trailers load it. Was it was, crazy

(12:16):
fifty two thousand pounds of crawfish that they boiled in
a six hour. Period here's the cool. Thing you can
come and there's a six hour time. Frame It's may the,
third and we'll have all this if you look for
us On facebook for the show road To Hope radio On.
Facebook we'll post the. Link but you can buy the

(12:36):
wristbands right. Now it's thirty bucks if you wait and
buy it. THERE i think it's thirty. Five but here's the.
Deal thirty. Bucks you've got a six hour time period
where you can eat as much crawfish as you can
possibly put. Down and there's going to BE i think
somewhere around sixty different cook, teams so you can check
every single one of them out.

Speaker 4 (12:56):
If you want.

Speaker 3 (12:56):
TO i can't eat that much food, anymore SO i
always kind of. Wait let the guys go stroll, around,
comebacks all, right which ones were the, best and Then
i'll go to one of. Those, yeah six hours all
you can. Eat plus there's there's live, music there's A
they've got to. Now they do a complete like fair for.

(13:18):
Children there's all kinds of rides and all kinds of
fun things for the family. Do but you get a to,
Eat you get your crawfish fixed taken care of that.
Day all you can eat thirty bucks is the deal
of the. Day plus they raise a lot of money
for THE Ptsd foundation Of. America, again if you just
look For road To Hope radio On, facebook we'll have
a link there and all the information how you can

(13:38):
be a part of That may the Third. Saturday all, Right,
Chris so we were talking a little bit ago about
the legal. Issues you were kind of nodding your head
the part of your. Story, yes, Okay so let's let's
back up for a. Minute originally From, oklahoma, right originally From,

(14:01):
dallas but From. Dallas then you were In oklahoma From,
dallas and you went to high school in The dallas. Area,
correct all? Right what was life like For chris when
he was in high? School?

Speaker 4 (14:13):
DIFFERENCE i was always the, yeah not. BUBBLY i kind
of was, sheltered saying to myself quite a, bit and
then ended up graduating in ninety eight and going to
buy my.

Speaker 3 (14:26):
Business, okay anything siding star football.

Speaker 4 (14:31):
PLAYERS i played, football but it wasn't no, star SO
i gave gave that up AND i went to the baseball. Field.
OKAY i ended up playing that for seven years where
down In dallas for who? For with The soto at,
first and then back with my community, college which Was Mountain.

Speaker 3 (14:51):
View uh Mountain. View, No, No so what position were you?
PLAYING i normally played the, field, okay? Outfield?

Speaker 4 (15:01):
Correct?

Speaker 3 (15:02):
Okay all? Right got a gun for an arm had, yeah, yes,
yeah well this is all past tense for, yeah all,
right so? Baseball uh and in, college when did You
when did you decide to go to the.

Speaker 4 (15:18):
Army after my second semester. Started WHILE i was in,
COLLEGE i had found out that you're allowed to walk
out of school in, college SO i continued to walk
out quite. Often so my father gave me an, ultimatum
AND i chose the higher, route which was joined The
United States.

Speaker 3 (15:38):
Army what year was.

Speaker 4 (15:39):
This this was back in the end of ninety, eight
beginning in ninety, nine so.

Speaker 3 (15:44):
Pre nine to, eleven, Correct so you join the, army you,
know there's always an, opportunity but we weren't really nothing hot going,
on at least at the. Time. Correct then nine to eleven?
Happens what happens to?

Speaker 4 (15:57):
YOU i remember that day watching it happen on THE,
tv and we were immediately put on. Lockdown we were,
told if you're, married call your, spouses have him bring your.
Bags if you're singling in the, barracks get, escorted pack
your bags and everyone get. Back and then we were
sitting on the.

Speaker 3 (16:14):
Tarmac by the, way why did you join the army
versus any other.

Speaker 4 (16:19):
Brand, well my dad was In vietnam in The. NAVY
i wasn't so much of a fan of The Air.
Force army just kind of had WHAT i needed and you,
KNOW i like the recruiter quite a bit so and
it didn't do me.

Speaker 3 (16:32):
Wrong what was what was your? JOB i was.

Speaker 4 (16:36):
A nineteen kilo tank commander and patuons are on THE
m ONE a one.

Speaker 3 (16:39):
Abrams all, right so your first deployment was.

Speaker 4 (16:45):
That was For operation and During freedom in two thousand and,
one and that was over In.

Speaker 3 (16:49):
Kuwait so right after you guys were.

Speaker 4 (16:53):
Rolling, yeah we actually hadn't met with the Commands Army
major of The, Army Jack. Tilly he had came out
there and ripped up our orders to go across the
border at that. Time instead be looking for may have
three and sure, enough may HAVE o. Three we were
sitting right there going across the.

Speaker 3 (17:08):
Border goodness stirs up lots of, memories uh for me
just watching on the, news but for you guys having
to lude through. It So i've heard, yeah goodness all
right again the phone. Number you are a vetting, crisis,

(17:29):
NO a veteran in crisis eight seven seven seven one
seven seventy eight seventy. Three, again a combat that's going
to answer the. PHONE ptsdusa dot org for all of,
information not only for our interim housing, program can we
Call Camp, hope but also for our support groups both
for veterans and for family. Members PTSD usa dot.

Speaker 4 (17:47):
Org we'll be right.

Speaker 3 (17:48):
Back all, Right, well welcome you. Back justin AND i had,

(18:11):
said The Marine corps veteran staff member At Camp hope's
three years you've been on stuff.

Speaker 4 (18:16):
Now, YEAH i graduated three years.

Speaker 3 (18:18):
Ago that's. Awesome this MONTH i love those. Stories, yeah
it just hit. Me actually TODAY i was, like, Whoa,
YEAH i was getting ready for. Graduation, yeah which that reminds.
Me let me find this real QUICK i should have
had that on tap, here BUT i saw a date
on my. Phone let me find it here real. Quickly

(18:44):
MAYBE i won't find. It i'll look for it doing the,
break we'll move, on but we'll find. It it's an
anniversary day for the show. Anyway so first deployments right
after nine to, eleven you're into a right Or kuwait
and four? Total? Correct and you said the three In.

(19:08):
Afghanistan we're back to back to. Back those those are All, iraq,
correct Gotcha, Okay, yeah they were back to.

Speaker 4 (19:14):
Back we actually changed our own name To Operation.

Speaker 3 (19:16):
Extension how long were those three?

Speaker 4 (19:21):
Deployments six months? Piece SO i was over there three oh,
four came back in.

Speaker 3 (19:26):
Five, Okay so you were hitting it really hard with
those four. Deployments. Correct since you're At Camp, hope obviously
THERE'S ptsd involved in there. Somewhere when did you first
notice something was? Up maybe you didn't understand what it,

(19:46):
was but something's not quite, right or did somebody else
have to help you understand? It something wasn't quite.

Speaker 4 (19:51):
Right WHEN i was introduced to, addiction m you, know it's.
It had always thought everything was okay and going, through
but THEN i kind of noticed my own. REACTIONS i
would evaluate myself AND i would know, that like the
conduct THAT i was performing or WHAT i was doing
was uncharacteristic of. Me so there was something deeper going.

(20:13):
On SO i had to chose to get that looked
at on several different, aspects AND i landed At camp.

Speaker 3 (20:19):
Op, now okay and time. Again when you got out
of the army twenty ten, ten you but your last
apponment was back five? Correct, okay but you were still
in until? Ten? Correct all, Right so when did you
not when did the addiction become apparent to, YOU.

Speaker 4 (20:40):
I would say about ten years ago.

Speaker 3 (20:43):
And at, all so another five years ish, correct after
you got out of the.

Speaker 4 (20:46):
Army i'm sure it was there prior TO i just
didn't pick up on.

Speaker 3 (20:52):
It. Yeah so, yeah in addition to the, addiction at
least the story REASON i here all the, time you,
know it begins with it's the coping mechanism that you're. Using, absolutely,
so whether it's hypervigilance or the night terrors or, whatever

(21:13):
what were some of those things you were, experiencing some
of the things we now call symptoms OF.

Speaker 4 (21:18):
Ptsd THAT'S i, mean you're pretty much at the nail
on the. HEAD i JUST i drink too. Whenever you,
know my addiction of alcohol and my, OTHERS i did
it to, escape you. KNOW i just didn't want to
think of the activity in front of me or what
was going. On SO i would partake and whatever my

(21:38):
addiction was at that time and just to forget about.
It but THEN i learned quickly that when you wake,
up it's still.

Speaker 1 (21:46):
There.

Speaker 3 (21:47):
Yeah JUST i think it's one of the things people
have to understand Because i've had we've now been out Of.
Afghanistan what a little over two. Years i've had people ask, me,
well we're not a war, anymore which is. Okay still

(22:09):
some people in PLACES i don't want to be right
now doing THINGS i don't want to, do but call
what everyone call. It But i've had people ask, well
the needs should be kind of going, away, right because
we're not like oh, no, no, no, yeah, no it
doesn't work that. Way, no for the guys that and
gals that went, there went, overseas for the country that
they're we're still fighting that war very much.

Speaker 2 (22:31):
So and you may not see. It it's not. Publicized
oh the war is, over but man It Like chris was,
saying it took him five years to figure it, OUT
i think it took me about ten fifteen years until
those thoughts and feelings started coming. OUT i could only
self medicate for so long before these emotions came, out

(22:52):
AND i couldn't hide them.

Speaker 3 (22:54):
Anymore. Yeah so the point is simply that the symptoms
OF ptsd do not necessarily show up. Immediately it can
take a. WHILE i remember one of the First Korean
war vets THAT i spoke to on behalf of The.
Foundation his story. Was you, know he had gone To, korea,

(23:15):
fought came, home went to, work you, know got, married
raised his, kids lived his, life didn't have any, issues
retired and within a month he was at the. Viagoing
what in the world diagnosed him WITH ptsd fifty something years,
Later so that's that's not. Unusual we've had a lot

(23:39):
of vets come in From. Vietnam vets come into our
program at fifty plus years of self, medicating which is
heartbreaking to, Me like you've been in your addiction for
ten years about, Roughly, yeah WHICH i, mean that's. AWFUL
i hate. IT i hate it that you had to
go through that to get To Camp. HOPE i Hated

(24:02):
but WHEN i think of these guys who've been doing
that for fifty plus, Years oh, my how do? You
how do you exist through all? That?

Speaker 2 (24:10):
Yeah they built them differently back. Then those, guys, man
they weren't taught and same with. Us you, KNOW i
wasn't really. Taught my dad's A vietnam. Veteran he didn't
teach us. Emotion nothing against my, dad but you know
that wasn't something they talk. About you get a totally different,
world then.

Speaker 3 (24:27):
You suck it.

Speaker 2 (24:28):
Up you go to, work you provide for your, family
and AND i think there's something for. Me it was
a lot of pride to you, Know i'm A. MARINE
i have to admit THAT i HAD. Ptsd it really
held a lot of power over. Me UNTIL i was
able to ADMIT i do HAVE. PTSD i kind of
took that power back from, it and that that's kind
of that's that's WHAT i tell. Guys but now there's

(24:51):
no shame in HAVING. PTSD i found strength with other
veterans that HAVE, ptsd AND i found that through Camp.

Speaker 4 (24:58):
O to add, that my father is, also LIKE i,
said A vietnam. Vet he was in The, navy and
due to THE va and the recent LIKE ptsd the
sayings on, it he was just not diagnosed and granted
his disability For Vietnam. Era so that's that's a long long. Time.

Speaker 3 (25:18):
Yeah, Yeah well we talked about this two weeks ago
in The Vietnam Veteran Vietnam War Veterans. Day it was
just it was beyond a. Disgrace does not do it
justice what we did not do for Our vietnam guys
when they came, home which leads to, truly what's a

(25:40):
true diagnosis of SECONDARY. PTSD a lot of kids Of
vietnam vet's unfortunately experienced that sure and same as with their,
parents Their VIETNAM vet. Parents there was no no, diagnosis
there was no, acknowledgment there was no. Anything so there
was you, know where do you? Go what do you?
Do did you go to THE va for?

Speaker 4 (25:59):
Help WHENEVER i was In, MONTANA i? Did, okay prior
TO i went To how long ago ish was? THAT
i was back there about two years ago In? Montana
so BUT i did a couple visits out there to get.
Help prior to, THAT i did some just at local

(26:20):
facilities In. Dallas nothing was ever really, identified or SHOULD i.

Speaker 3 (26:24):
Say they didn't diagnose.

Speaker 4 (26:25):
Anything, no not, Necessarily, no not until they didn't get
to the bottom of it until my counselor at that,
time he really peeled back the layers and got to
the underlying issue so it could be addressed.

Speaker 3 (26:37):
Properly how long ago was?

Speaker 4 (26:38):
This that was about three years ago.

Speaker 3 (26:43):
OF va or PRIVATE? Va, okay what was the response
once they kind of figured out here's what's.

Speaker 4 (26:50):
HAPPENING i went through a world of testing WHERE i
was diagnosed with SEVERE, ptsd SEVERE. Tbi you know the
whole laundry.

Speaker 3 (27:01):
LIST i was going to ask if TV i was
part of, that because, yes it's not everybody's, story but
it's not.

Speaker 4 (27:06):
Unusual, YEAH i do HAVE tbi and tonightis and tonights.

Speaker 3 (27:10):
Wonderful thank you for your. Service, AGAIN i shouldn't laugh at,
it JUST i just keep hearing all these, diagnoses like
and then people stand out in the street and want
to go to war over, everything, like did you guys
just stop?

Speaker 4 (27:21):
This i'm too, young according to, them BUT i don't
understand how you can put an age on a. Veteran they.
Didn't they did a full hit replacement on. Me but
again they were so hesitant BECAUSE i was too.

Speaker 3 (27:34):
Young was this an? Ied, yeah it.

Speaker 4 (27:38):
Was an incident that happened out, there, Correct.

Speaker 3 (27:41):
Okay all, right.

Speaker 2 (27:44):
All?

Speaker 3 (27:44):
RIGHT a quick reminder eight seven seven seven seven seventy
eight seventy, Three AND i Mentioned Camp hope is the interim,
program which is Where chris is, currently And justin came
to the program as. Well we know and understand not
everybody can and not everybody needs to go into a
six to nine month. Program we got, it we, understand

(28:07):
but many. Do but we do run support groups in
several different cities across the. Country we do one, virtually
so you can join literally from anywhere and it's absolutely,
free and it's the you, know what's spoken in the
room stays in the. Room so we have law enforcement first,

(28:28):
Responder we've had contractors in, there all dealing with the
same issues that we call combat RELATED ptsd all that
information of those support groups is on their website ptsdusa dot.
Org BUT i have to say one of the things
that separates us is we not only have it for the,
veteran but we also have it for family and. Friends

(28:48):
all that information for those GROUPS ptsd usa dot org
will be right back and we welcome you back give.
Where if you listened to, podcasts just look For Road Hope.

(29:09):
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to our veteran or to their. FAMILY ptsdusa dot. Org, Okay,
chris this is the last. Segment we've got a few.

(29:30):
Minutes let's just dig into a little. Bit you mentioned
the addiction notice becomeingparent about ten years. Ago three years
ago is when they kind of diagnose things as we
can make SURE i get my numbers. Right that's, Okay
so you're self medicating during that. Time and look, again

(29:56):
we're not a war, story BUT i mean you said
enough to know between four to eployments and with the
diagnosis OF tbi. Tonight as you mentioned the hip, placement
some things. Happened that stuff comes home with you absolutely
didn't just stay. There so you're dealing with, that coping
with that through the. Addiction at some point it had

(30:17):
to be bad. Enough you had to have gotten to
a dark enough place that When Camp hope comes into
your radar and you learn about, It i'm always, curious
how did you first hear About Camp. Hope what was
the first understanding, Of, hey there's a place In, Houston

(30:40):
texas that can help.

Speaker 4 (30:41):
You WHENEVER i was In, OKLAHOMA i met a group
of friends and they were working With Camp, hope and
then they kind of briefly told me what they did
and what it was. About and ORIGINALLY i had no
plans on going To Camp. Hope, however the time arose

(31:07):
to WHERE i had to take full advantage of it
AND i could not be.

Speaker 3 (31:12):
Happier court system is part of, That, Okay so we
don't need to get into all, that but just it's
part of the, story so you hear about it and
this becomes an. Option.

Speaker 4 (31:25):
Yeah my last, INCIDENT i GUESS i figured it'd be
a good, idea was On september twenty fifth of last
year to go ahead and go out drinking and.

Speaker 3 (31:33):
Driving and this was In, oklahoma, Correct.

Speaker 4 (31:37):
AND i rolled my, truck my new, truck and of
course got locked, up went to jail dui and started
the ball from there to try to get to. Camp
hope put the feelers.

Speaker 3 (31:50):
Out that's kind of the wake up. Call, hey this isn't. Normal, yep, Absolutely,
Okay so that Was. September when did you arrive at
Camp january?

Speaker 4 (32:05):
Sixth?

Speaker 3 (32:05):
Okay were you incarcerated in the in? BETWEEN i, was,
Okay so you came to us In? January, correct and
you met justin when you first came in day, one
because day one's ALWAYS i try to imagine that like
from whatever circumstance you're coming, from it's not a good. Circumstance,

(32:28):
right you're not Coming we always say you're not coming
in on a winning. Streak so something's, happened and it
can be a little. Different there's a few different versions
of what that, is but it's never.

Speaker 4 (32:35):
GOOD i had to go spend some time at the
other hospital prior to coming, back right because my. ADDICTION
i was in deep AND i showed up at camp.

Speaker 3 (32:44):
Intoxicated, okay, again not the first time that's happened in
the right. Place but you're going to someplace like for,
you coming out of, state going to a place that
you've heard, about but you don't really know. Anything you
don't know, anybody and you've GOT ptsd and trauma not
only of, war but what just happened that led you

(33:06):
to the point where you needed. Camp. Hope that has
to be. Overwhelming walking on day, one that's just do
you remember your day?

Speaker 2 (33:14):
One just? So, YEAH i Was my pen was. SHAKING
i was so, nervous BUT i was trying to play it. Off,
man it was scarier than going to boot. Camp, yeah
but you mean you met justin day, one? Correct and
what what do you remember from?

Speaker 4 (33:27):
THAT i remember getting approached By justin and he asked
me IF i knew Who Community court, was AND i
kind of shook my, head dear in the, headlights, look
had no clue who it. Was and we kind of
found out it was a group or whatnot that wanted
to take what take my? Charges and then boy did

(33:51):
they ever take my? Charges?

Speaker 2 (33:52):
Yeah, yeah our outreach team did a great job contacting the,
courts And chris let him, know, HEY i got this,
charge and so they contacted the, courts got the correct
people in. Line so while he was getting ready to
come To Camp, hope they we were in contact with each,
other and by the Time chris showed, up he had
an offer that if he Graduates Camp, hope that they're

(34:14):
gonna dismiss the.

Speaker 4 (34:16):
Charges, absolutely that's.

Speaker 3 (34:18):
Unbelievable that's just that's.

Speaker 2 (34:20):
CRAZY i was, like, Man god works a mysterious. Ways
and he's, like who are?

Speaker 4 (34:24):
You what's your?

Speaker 3 (34:25):
NAME i was, like, man he's the dude with the.

Speaker 2 (34:27):
Magic, yeah kind of take take it, easy but when you're,
ready let's let's talk about.

Speaker 1 (34:32):
This.

Speaker 4 (34:32):
Yeah it's kind of funny because even at that, POINT i,
said do we even know who they? Are you.

Speaker 3 (34:41):
Like to shake their Ind, okay so you've been here
for a minute and you're still work pretty early in the.
Program what's different today when you wake up in the
morning versus let's see if the insider happened In. September
let's go back To august last. Year what's the, Difference,
hope Explain.

Speaker 4 (35:04):
At that point in my life through the addiction, PROCESS
i just wanted to shut myself, down like it was
a daily. OCCURRENCE i would shut myself down to the
world around, me didn't want to deal with, it didn't
want to talk to. People then, again The lord shook
my tree when he flicked over my. Truck and NOW

(35:26):
i realized That Camp, hope that there are people out.
There you, know there's law enforcement, officers and whenever they
HEARD i was upside down at this, time but when
they heard THAT i was a veteran in, distress their
whole attitude. Changed so but coming To Camp hope has
just given me a better understanding of What i'm going.
Through i'm not, alone that's for, sure and there's definitely

(35:48):
a peer support group all around. Me you just got
to get out there and you gotta find. Them you
got to be in.

Speaker 3 (35:52):
Touch you've got a ways to, go and you're not
guessing at least time you've been, here you're not in
the kind of the phase where you're really starting to
look forward and building the. Plan but what are you
looking forward? To AND i don't mean a job or anything,

(36:12):
like what are you looking forward to when you are
getting that coin in that piece of paper that says you?
Finished the reaction from my? Kids how many kids you?
GOT i have three, daughters ages roughly.

Speaker 4 (36:32):
Nineteen my metal one is training eighteen today. Actually and,
fifthly you, know because the last time they saw, ME
i was of course self, medicating and so that's what they.
Knew and WHENEVER i was at my last one of
my last, centers we were we had to bury one
of the soldiers and the first THING i thought of

(36:54):
whenever we turned around to walk away was what would
my children say and my? Memorial and that try started
looking at things completely.

Speaker 3 (37:02):
Different, WELL i am happy for, You thank, YOU i
am thrilled to death for your three. Girls keep doing the, work,
man just keep doing the.

Speaker 4 (37:17):
Work, absolutely.

Speaker 3 (37:20):
If you'd like to be a, PART i, mean will
you hear these stories like how do you not want
to be a part of? That and, again it can be,
free can be just following us on social media sharing the.
Story obviously, donations but there's a thousand volunteer opportunities through
an organization for those of you who listen or who
live in The houston, area but also in our other.

(37:40):
Locations we're doing fundraisers In, Florida South carolina And, Georgia,
California San, Antonio. Dallas so there's a lot of, places
a lot of events that you can volunteer. At so
there's a lot of ways to get involved that you
don't have the ability to write a, check but you
have some time to. GIVE usa dot org help us

(38:02):
make sure that when other men Like chris need a
place Like Camp hope that we have the space and
we have the people and we have the program in
place able to take care of. You have you gone
hungry since you've been with, Us no. Way we just
had the rodeo come. Through, yeah all kinds of meat
at camp right. Now thanks exactly, again the crisis number

(38:26):
eight seven seven seven, one seven seventy eight seventy, three
all of our social media PTSD, USA PTSD, usa and
the WEBSITE ptsdusa dot. Org, well let's thank you so,
much justin thanks for what you, do having every single
day for our, Guys, chris thanks for what you're doing
to rebuild your life and repurpose. It thank you appreciate.
It thanks again for joining, us for being with you.

(38:46):
Again next week for more Of road To Hope radio