Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Multiple people in my family clean my father are veterans
and the.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Troops that have been to war and now they're back
and think and be grateful for their service.
Speaker 3 (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.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
And we love them.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Today, we honor them and we serve them. David Malsby
is your host, and he welcomes you to this community
of veterans, as together we are building the road to hope.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
And indeed we are glad to have you along on
a Sunday on the kp RC the nine to five
O and A. And I'm glad you are with us
as you drive endlessly around the Loop or the Beltway
or ninety nine, whichever circle you'd like to drive around,
or if you're listening to us through the magic of podcasts.
Wherever you listen to podcasts, just look for Road to
(01:44):
Hope Radio and there it is. Thank you so very
much for not only listening but sharing it liberally. This
is something we want to do very liberally, share Hope.
So wherever you find your podcast, just look for Road
to Hope Radio.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Subscribe. It's all free.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
Get to listen to it at your convenience. You can
even speed it up if you like, so fast asaur
that we can actually even go quicker than that. But
thank you for being a part. We're going to jump
into I'm going to jump into this in the mail bag.
So we have dipped into the mail bag in the loss,
so let's do that real quick. Two years ago I
(02:20):
made the greatest decision of my life. After living years
of feeling lost and misery, anger, guilt, and depression, I
made the choice to no longer want to live that life.
On this day two years ago, with the influence of
two fellow Marines, I ended up in Camp Hope to
(02:40):
begin my healing process. The seven months i spent in
the program can be credited with saving my life. Through
many tears and self reflection, I now live a life
that I deserved for so many years. So very thankful
for my brothers me through it and standing by my
(03:01):
side week by week for seven months. Can't thank everyone
they got me through it at Camp Hope, but I'm
so very grateful to have met every one of you.
Life is great, for sure, but my healing process will
continue on as it never stops, but only gets.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Better day by day. Quote.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
We may be a product of our past, we are
no longer prisoners of it. That's from one of our graduates,
fellow named Patrick Graduate Program a couple years ago. It's
a pretty cool way to get the show started. Big
thanks to Patrick for sharing that. Uh big thank you
to our sponsors the last opportunity to spend a little
(03:45):
time with you each and every week. Are awesome friends
at Jimmy Chongis FRESHMACS Fun all across the Houston area.
Every day is a good day for some kso particularly today,
go by and check them out. Thinking for supporting our
veterans at Camp Hope. Are awesome friends out of Cory
Diamond Into Design, Billy and Connie Stagner a c O
ri I a Corey Diamond Design Christmas. The clock is
(04:06):
ticking and it's picking up speed two A one four
A two forty seven fifty five.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
They can take care of you if you want to
get down to friends with it. If you can't get there,
if you'll call them, get on zoom with them, they
will take great care of you. And you're supporting a
small business of supports our veterans at Camp Hope a
Corey Diamond and Design. And for all those oops moments
in life which we all have oops Steam dot com
(04:33):
two eight one eight two two zero five six one.
We keep them on speed dial around our place Oopssteam
dot com. All right, So, got a couple of combat
vets with us here in the show with us today,
one of them on staffed. Did I hear you say
this is the first time you've been on the show.
That's not true.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
You got jokes.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Uh, remind everybody who you are and grand introduction.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Yes, sir Anthony, who you are?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Lead mentor from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Served in the US around
and two deployments to Afghanistan. All right, Yeah, this is
my first time on the show, according to Pastor Mosby,
so we're gonna have to have him checked out with
you another appointment.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
First time this week. You've been on the show. Two
diployments is then, yes, Sir, to Afghanistan? And how long
have you been on STAPH.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
I've been on staff since twenty eighteen. All right, very cool,
glad to have you back, pleasure to be here.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
All right.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
We also have Adam with us. You want to give
the world a grand introduction. I want to interrupt you
like although maybe well, who knows?
Speaker 2 (05:35):
All right, no promises.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
Adam Kanash the United States Marine Corps three combat deployments,
one to Iraq and two to Afghanistan.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Where are you from.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
I'm from Torrington, Connecticut, Connecticut connect I cut yikes.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Two Yankees on the show with me today, surprised what
you can even say that?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Well, it's because of he's a marine. I'm gonna be nice.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
I try not to have too many Yankees around me
all at one time, and here I am surrounded by him.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Well, first time for everything.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
Well, I wouldn't say it's the first time.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
It's just not as rare as I would like for
it to be. I think we should make it more
common in your life. I think it would be an improvement.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
And how would that improve my life in any way
shape or for him?
Speaker 2 (06:26):
I'm curious.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Well, I think we could actually teach you a thing
or two about food, especially barbecue, an Italian food.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Okay, So funny fact I was. I went to visit
our different auv cats Cat's Coffee this week and he
told me a story. And I won't give you the numbers.
I'll just say he took some friends to dinner one
night this past week and the you know when they
(06:56):
when you're a nice restaurant, like not where I go
to eat, but that at a night restaurant, they uh
had you know, here's the specials for the day. And
of course they never tell you what the price is.
So he ordered two different items that were specials. One
was a pasta item, okay pasta, and he said it
(07:17):
was not enough to feed a person.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
That's the main entree.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
The believe the pasta dish itself, I remember correctly, like
two hundred dollars.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
It's a pasta dish like pasta.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
There's probably a quarter's worth of pasta in there, how
in the world, and you know you put red sauce
or white sauce, some kind of sauce on it, and
then they call it something fancy. Yeah, charge it anyway.
We won't do that to you. Everything we do is free.
We'll be right back with more of road to Hope radio.
(07:54):
You know that, all right?
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Ed?
Speaker 4 (08:00):
I'm so, when did you join the Corps? Did you
join r out of high school?
Speaker 5 (08:04):
Yep, I was seventeen years old. It was nineteen ninety nine,
and I you know, went down to Paras Island, South Carolina,
stepped down the yellow footprints and got you know, screamed
at for about twelve weeks, and served fourteen years, and
I got out of the Marine Corps in twenty thirteen.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Why did you join the Corps as opposed to army
or whoever.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Else dress blues? I've heard.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
I've heard that answer many times.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
No, why did I join the Marine Corps? I don't know.
I felt very drawn to the Marine Corps.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
I really liked the respect that they were given, you know,
not just by the community, but by you know, other
services even And once I started learning a little bit
about the Marine Corps, I learned about their their great
reputation in battle, and and you know, it really just
(09:03):
I feel like it called to me. Maybe I was
a marine in a past life.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (09:10):
I just felt I felt compelled to go do that.
I almost runed a Navy I walked into almost I
walked into the recruiter's office and said I wanted to
be a Navy seal. Was seventeen years old. He goes,
Sunday note, Navy seals do as No, so you want
to read this? And I was like, that's what I
want to do. And as I walked out, the marine
(09:32):
recruiter shouted at me and told me to come into
his office. He says he don't want to do that.
This is what you want to do, and the rest
is history.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I guess he sold John he did. He got me.
It was he's wearing dress blues. It comes full circle. Yeah,
well done. I like that.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
Okay, see Jill in the course not a wartime in
ninety nine.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Nope.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
So obviously, I mean you're seventeen, so I'm sure you weren't.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Most seventeens. I'll just put it this way.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Most seventeen year olds aren't really thinking long term. No,
and at that point, and what could this actually look like?
Speaker 2 (10:11):
No, my I was looking for some adventure.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
You got some of that, and I got plenty of
three deployments, three combat diploments.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
I was looking to get out of my hometown. You know.
Speaker 5 (10:23):
It was kind of a I was and I was
working a carpentry job, and I was working at Burger King,
and I did not do well in high school. College
wasn't really my my in my in my future. I
knew that, and uh, I wanted to challenge myself. I
wanted different experiences.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
You know.
Speaker 5 (10:42):
Not many people that I graduated with joined the military,
so I don't know.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
I felt I felt service.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
I wanted to definitely be in service to the nation
and just explore you know that the recruit makes it
sounds awesome and and it was, you know, and it was.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
There was definitely.
Speaker 5 (11:07):
Some not so awesome parts, but that's you know, the
end with the yang, I think. But overall, I'm grateful
I did it. I would never I can't change anything.
I would never would. I wouldn't be who I am
today if I hadn't gone down that journey.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
Sure, Oh, when was your first deployment?
Speaker 5 (11:24):
So I did a deployment, uh before nine to eleven.
When I was in the I started off in the infantry,
and that was two thousand to two thousand and one.
It was over the over the change of the millennia
or whatever. I was not you know, but yeah, so
it was late two thousand to early two thousand and
one and no war going on. So I got to
(11:45):
just bounce around on a ship in the Mediterranean and
you know, visited all these countries that I never thought
in a million years I'd get to go.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
And it was just really cool. And I came back broke,
but I had I had a blast. I had some
good pictures. Yeah, I had a good time.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Uh what was your what were was your first combat diploma?
Speaker 5 (12:05):
My first combat deployment was to Iraq in two thousand
and five and uh we were in a town of
hit H I T T. I believe it's just kind
of north of Ramadi on the Euphrates River.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
You were infantry at the time that at.
Speaker 5 (12:19):
That point I had made the jump over to uh
to recon. So I was a team leader, a recon
team leader, you know, five in Iraq.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
Okay, So your typical day looked like not that there's
a typical day in combat and it's.
Speaker 5 (12:32):
Nearly typical day, like typical mission day. You know, we
would we would insert you know, maybe set up at
the time. At the time, obviously I I d S
were a huge threat and they were all over the place,
so they would put us into and I was a
sniper as well, and so I would take my team,
my six man team. We'd set up and dig into
(12:52):
hide or you know, occupy a building that we could
uh camouflage ourselves in and we would just watch sections
of these roads to see if you know, we could
catch people planting bombs or maybe any type of information
intelligence to send back to the colonel who was in
charge of the area. Obviously you wanted to mitigate any casualties,
(13:13):
so a lot of security for that type of work,
with some raids sprinkled in and out, and I would
support do some reconnaissance on raid sites and even done
a few raids myself during that deployment.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
Okay, we're going to take a quick news break for
those of you on the nine to five. Oh we'll
be back with just in just a moment with more
of Road to Hope Radio head on that highway, and
(13:52):
we welcome you back to Road to Hope Radio. Glad
to have you a long reminder wherever you listen to podcasts,
just for Road to Hope Radio, get the subscribe button.
It's absolutely free, automatically download and you can listen to
it at your convenience. Please share that you never know
who might who might come across that that could really
use hearing what we discuss on this show. And a reminder,
(14:15):
as we go through these some of these stories, we
do understand that these can be triggers for some. So
I'm gonna ask you to put this phone number in
your phone. Eight seven seven seven one seven seventy eight
seventy three. I'm gonna give it to you again. It's
a lot of sevens, I know. Just put in your phone.
In fact, everyone put it in your phone. Please, please, please.
(14:35):
You never know when you may come across somebody and
you're gonna think, man, what was that number? But put
this in your phone. You might be able to share
with someone that could really use it. Eight seven seven
seven one seven seventy eight seventy three. A combat vet,
well answer the phone, So let me just say one
more tithing a combat vet, not someone just reading answers
(14:58):
off the screen. I'm bad that eight seven seven seven
one seven seventy eight seventy three. That is our combat
Trauma crisis line, and we.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Will be happy to take that call.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
Step in the mailbag one more time or quickly.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
This says nothing.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
From another graduate that wrote this week said, I coached
Little league this year and currently coaching third fourth grade
basketball at the elementary school. Just got accepted into my
local fire hall as a volunteer firefighter. Started working as
(15:35):
a mentor for veterans court. I love the light two
years ago that Camp Hope brought into my life. I'm
married to the most amazing patient woman talking to my
son again. We got custody of her sonback. Beyond grateful
for helping me understand that God was there, showed me
(15:59):
the way out. He didn't put me there, but he
led me out. Thanks for the opportunity. So that's from
one of our graduates, Ricky. Another Yankee's Yankees everywhere right now.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
It's National Yankee Day.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
I know, so all flags at half staff, everybody's in mornings.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
There for you.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
I haven't had caso. That's the problem. I have not
had caso today.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Yeah, that's all right. We're gonna get you some case.
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Yeah, somebody get some door dash caso over here gringos
and Jimmy Jonkas. All right, so uh first moments, oh
five next to two diplomas.
Speaker 5 (16:43):
Or that's two or two Afghanistan in two thousand and seven,
and again I had changed jobs. I went into the
Marine Special Operations Command in two thousand and six and
two thousand and seven we deployed into Helman Province, Afghanistan,
(17:04):
and uh, you know that was very kinetic, h deployment,
and we were very busy, uh, lots of enemy contact,
lots of interaction with the local tribal politics, which is
(17:25):
you know, it's very complex. I guess I can almost
kind of try to like if if you would think
of all the gangs in America and how they interact
with each other. That's kind of how these tribes interact
with each other. They don't trust anybody, and you're trying
to get them to work together and to rise up
against you know, the the Taliban who are oppressing them,
(17:50):
and and and they're at the same time they're they're
fighting us.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Everybody's fighting each other.
Speaker 5 (17:54):
And then you got this huge mess with the opium trade.
It's it's a pretty complex, uh wartime environment.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
And then your last apployment.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
My last deployment was in two thousand and nine. I
was in a high altitude parachute team for the Special
Operations Command and we were in Harat Province, Afghanistan, which
is northwest kind of on the Iranian Turkmenistan border, and
that was the same type of dynamic there. It was
a little more westernized because we were so close to
(18:25):
Iran with the trade and everything. But I guess that's
the same area that like Alexander the Great invaded from,
So there was a lot a lot more civilization type
stuff there.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
Because your last appointment was owned nine and you say
you got out in thirteen.
Speaker 5 (18:42):
Yes, So in between nine twenty thirteen, I was an
instructor for the Marine Special Operations School and I taught
the individual training.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Course and.
Speaker 5 (18:59):
Served there as is the lead Amphibius Operations instructor and
uh as the chief instructor until I got out in
twenty thirteen.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
Okay, probably the most important question I could ask you today, uh,
did you ever eat it Burger King? After having worked there?
Speaker 2 (19:21):
I can't eat it burger King anymore. They thank you.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
I just like to be the Is there a worst
hamburger in the world?
Speaker 2 (19:25):
About then. I'm just curious. Yeah, it used to be
good in like the nineties.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Today, most important question I can ask you well forgiving
me Adam for interrupting you used.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
To Did you ever go back like no, I can't
do it no more. Yeah, especially now coming to Texas.
You guys got the beef.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
I can't thank you.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
I cannot argue with your barbecue and your beef and
your brisk get and everything.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
I mean, it's it's you.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
When I joined the Marine Corps, I got stationed down
North Carolina, I thought before I joined the Marine Corps,
I thought barbecue was Nicrib.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
I didn't know. Oh I didn't know. I just didn't know,
you know, I just I didn't know.
Speaker 5 (20:01):
But now I know, you know, when they come to Texas
and it's a whole up and we're in the major leagues.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Now, I guess we are taking pretty serious down here. Okay, so.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
Obviously there's some PTSD involved. You wouldn't be camp Hope.
When did you first realize something was up?
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (20:20):
Well, so my plan was to retire at twenty years
and I did not make that, make that goal. I
left the Marine Corps not not on great terms, and
it had to do with my PTSD and my substance
abuse issues. So I was basically ordered into treatment initially
by judge and I'm grateful for that because it propelled
(20:44):
me on a different path in life and a path
of healing. And it hasn't been easy, but so so
I've been at this is trying to write my ships
since twenty thirteen.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
To get to Camp Have Hope.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
My past year has been just you know, just another
period of chaos in this healing journey. And uh, you know,
I spent uh, spend one hundred one days in jail.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
I was homeless.
Speaker 5 (21:16):
Friend of mine who had been here multiple times, and
it's here, still here today, Uh not today, but back
at camp today. He called me and told me about
this place, and uh, and.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
I prayed on it.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
I prayed on it a lot, and I didn't know
what to do, and I just I saw it as
the only clear path forward. So called down here. Got
accepted into the program, and I drove three days from
Connecticut down here to Houston, and uh, it gave me
(21:51):
a lot of time to pray and process and prepare,
I guess mentally and emotionally for you know, everything I'm
about that I was about to embark on yet again.
But this place is different, and uh, I'm just very
grateful for the opportunity and for the you know, the
(22:12):
blessing that I received and getting getting to this place
at this point in my life.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
When did you become homeless?
Speaker 5 (22:22):
So when I when I when I got released from jail,
and I guess it was.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
May of this year.
Speaker 5 (22:28):
Yeah, so I've just kind of been I didn't get
here till September, so I was bouncing around, living in
a tent, living in a truck, living in hotels. Finally
found a very generous person who let me kind of
couch surf for a little bit.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
However, wasn't ideal. And then I'm not sure couch surfing
is ever right now.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
No, no, no, especially if it's a stranger. You know,
I'm kind of a strange agent myself. So I never
really felt totally welcome, but not certainly not the way
I felt when I finally arrived here, and I felt
super welcomed and accepted and supported and just yeah, I'm
able to kind of be at peace now and work
(23:12):
on my issues.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
I'm grateful for that.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
Okay, so you got here September.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
You said, yes, sir, I got to hear my forty
third birthday September seventeenth, showed up.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
All right, it was a good birthday present.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
I like that.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Yeah, start a new journey and you got to start somewhere.
That's a good day to do it, Yes, sir, all right.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Just a reminderr.
Speaker 4 (23:35):
PTSD usa dot org is our website PTSD post Traumatic
Stress Disorder PTSD usa dot org. You can get information
not only about Camp Hope, which is our interim housing
program serving combat vets, but also our warrior groups and
our family support groups. All that information is available on
(23:58):
our website PTSD US. And by the way, you've been
here since September, so three months ashe Uh what's you
get a bill every week or once a month? Or
what's what's the deal for being at Camp Hope.
Speaker 5 (24:14):
Oh no, it is uh totally covered by volunt by
uh you know, donors, donators. Uh, there's lots of volunteers
to show up, and it's totally free to the to
the veteran.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
Here everything we do and no charge to our veterans
or their families. PTSD us a dot or. We're gonna
take a quick break and be right back with more
of Road to Hope Radio. Well, and welcome back to
(24:52):
Road to Hope Radio. Glad to have you along with us.
And we've got Anthony, who is what's your title these days?
Lead mentor Extraordinary these days?
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Like what are you doing these days? Do you do anything? Well?
Speaker 4 (25:06):
That is a question that I was gonna save that
for after the show, but since you brought it.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
Up, it's lead mentor. But the truth is the title
really don't matter much. It's the fellowship, the UH, peer
to peer mentorship, the Adam just sat here and gracefully
and I'm I'm grateful that you share your story, brother
about but there's days where Adam teaches me. I don't
just teach others. It's a peer to peer. It takes
(25:31):
a whole group of combat vets to.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Help each other. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
Adam United States Marine Vet UH. He's currently in the
program at Camp Hope and Adam, like as Anthony said,
thank you for being willing to want to be here,
but also share some of your story. And obviously some
of that's not you know, the easiest or the most
enjoyable parts of our life to talk about. None of
us really want to drag out our worst moments for
(25:56):
the world. But thank you for being willing to share
a little bit your story. So the Marine Corps helped
you understand there was an issue, and you mentioned since then,
since thirteen, you've kind of been on a journey to
try to write the ship. I think was the word
she used.
Speaker 5 (26:11):
Yes, sir, it hasn't been easy. You know, there's been
ups and downs. I had to, you know, come to
terms with the fact that I was surrounded by, you know,
not the most helpful people. I allowed myself to be
manipulated by some wrong people and you know, got sucked
down bad pathways, you know, prayed about it. You know,
(26:33):
like I said, I ended up in jail and had
a moment in jail when I don't know if it
was Jesus or if it was God or said to
me walk away and said hurt it in my head
and it was profound. And once I got out of jail,
(26:54):
I tried to kind of go back, maybe find some
helpful parts of that community I was in. And I
recognized real fast that that was a true message that
I had to listen and follow. And then, like I said,
I got this message from my old friend, O marine friend,
and uh, it took me about two three days to bite,
and I did, and I'm grateful I did because now
(27:15):
I'm here and I'm able to really make progress with
my traumas and my healing.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
So, as you were describing that a little while ago,
you the words you use where this place is different. Yeah,
what what do you mean with that?
Speaker 5 (27:32):
Well, I'm I dare say magical and and and in
that sense that you know, it's just, uh, there's an
energy at Camp Hope that I've just never experienced at
any other treatment facility, rehab program anywhere, honestly, and I've
(27:54):
been to quite a few, you know, with the VA
and and and other.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Last year I did a research program up in Boston
at Harvard Harvard Research Doctors, and it just wasn't It's
not I don't know if it's the spirituality.
Speaker 5 (28:10):
I don't know if it's just maybe it's Texas, you know,
it could it could not be. It could be the barbecue.
I don't know what you guys are putting in the barbecue.
But no, honestly, there's it's kind of indescribable, but I
recognize it.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
It's undeniable for sure.
Speaker 5 (28:28):
And and to see all these guys here. Who are
I see people change over the over the three months
I've been here. I've changed over the three months i've
been here, and I feel more confident. I feel more proud,
I feel more useful. You know, I went from a
(28:49):
place of I don't think I was suicidal, but I
wasn't as productive as I thought I should be. And
now I look for thinking that I have really something
to offer everybody, and certainly you know, my daughter, my family,
and other combat veterans.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
So Tony talked about the Camp Hope forty a little
while ago. How much way have you gained since you've
been in Camp Hope.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
I have gained twenty five pounds, but it's all muscle.
Speaker 4 (29:25):
Yeah, I understand that. But the away gain better nutritional
values and other such things contribute to that. But the
Jonathan Kim Jim doesn't hurt, you know.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
The Jonathan Kim Jim is amazing. It is awesome. It's
very grateful to have that.
Speaker 5 (29:39):
And I trained in martial arts, so it's nice that
they have that kickback there. So I spend lots of
time punching my frustrations out, which is which is a
far more healthy outlet I think nowadays you.
Speaker 4 (29:51):
Know, Anthony, he used the word magical, and that was
one of the reasons I love the ability that we
have mainly in part to iHeart, but to our show
sponsors allow us to hear these stories and let these
guys say their story, their words, their way. And I've
heard the word magically used before. I've heard miraculous on
(30:13):
many occasions, and I kind of always shy away from
that word. But both with either one of those you use,
I'm always like, I understand what you're saying, right, I
get it, and I can see particularly you know, the
way people use miracles and that type of thing, the
(30:35):
way it's used in our culture today. I get why
people use that terminology. So I'm not trying to sparse
words with anybody, but a true miracle, it's been only
on God. I don't have to do anything for God
to do a miracle. God can part the sea, let
(30:58):
the children of Israel across dry ground, swallow up the
most powerful military in the world at the time. Not
a shot was fired, not an arrow was shot, not
a rock was thrown, and the most powerful military might
in the world was overthrown. So kind of like that's
a miracle. But I get it, but it's work. Talk
(31:21):
about that a little bit.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
Well, first of all, you know, you look at everything
that's provided from the community, and you know I just
said that, you know, it's not Texas. But the truth is,
God's using this community in Texas to provide. And I
could sit here and tell you about, you know, all
the things that us combat vets do to help each other.
Like I was just saying, Adam helps me, I help Outam.
(31:43):
But the truth is is the true tithing is the
community storing up goods for the whole community, for.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Those that are in need.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
And the community here in Texas with Camp Hope, they
provide all the stuff that we need. We can do
the work with, you know, working through actually being transparent
and vulnerable and confessing the things that we carry alone
by ourselves to where we don't have to worry about well,
(32:12):
how am I going to get the lights on? How
am I going to pay for the counseling, How am
I going to you know, pay for my food? How
am I going to make sure that my laundry is done?
And I need laundry, soap and all the different things
that come from running the household. Well, the Texas community
is definitely falling in the steps of listening to God
providing for the combat vets here. But then we can
(32:33):
actually be transparent and vulnerable and forgive each other, confess
to each other, and by doing so, that is what
you know Adam described as magic. But to me, when
we confess and we forgive, then we see that raw love.
We see that freedom, that that relief that comes from
associating with people in low position, that comes from being
(32:57):
there when no one else understands, when sometimes it might
be too painful for a family member, too unrelatable for
somebody that doesn't or hasn't experienced combat. So for us,
the work is having the courage to be transparent. You know,
Adam had a ton of courage as he talked about
(33:17):
in this process to get to Camp Hope. He prayed,
that's the work. The work is staying the course, processing
with wise counsel, other combat vets that are telling you, hey,
something's going on. And it's amazing to me that you
look at Adam and his brothers. We see this a
lot at Camp Hope where the work's being done. After
(33:38):
our brothers are combat vets leaving Camp Hope and we'll
start seeing units actually come through Camp Hope because one
brother figured it out and then the other one that
trust him is the only one he trusts is saying, Hey, Adam,
there's this place called Camp Hope.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Well, what do you know about it?
Speaker 4 (33:55):
Well, and to that point, the reason Camp Hope does exist,
reason it's here. The reason there was a bed for
Adam when he made that call, made the choice to
get some help. The reason there was a bed available
over him was because of great community. You're in contributions
if you're considering who you might donate to here at
the end of the year PTSDUSA dot org. For every
(34:17):
VET we've had over two thousand veterans come through our doors,
there's thousands and thousands more that need us. If you
can help us, make sure there's a bet available for
that next VET that calls ptsd USA dot org. Thanks
again for listening, Fellas, Thanks for sharing some of your
story today. For being again next week for more of
Road to Hope Radio
Multiple people in my family clean my father are veterans
and the.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Troops that have been to war and now they're back
and think and be grateful for their service.
Speaker 3 (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.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
And we love them.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Today, we honor them and we serve them. David Malsby
is your host, and he welcomes you to this community
of veterans, as together we are building the road to hope.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
And indeed we are glad to have you along on
a Sunday on the kp RC the nine to five
O and A. And I'm glad you are with us
as you drive endlessly around the Loop or the Beltway
or ninety nine, whichever circle you'd like to drive around,
or if you're listening to us through the magic of podcasts.
Wherever you listen to podcasts, just look for Road to
(01:44):
Hope Radio and there it is. Thank you so very
much for not only listening but sharing it liberally. This
is something we want to do very liberally, share Hope.
So wherever you find your podcast, just look for Road
to Hope Radio.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Subscribe. It's all free.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
Get to listen to it at your convenience. You can
even speed it up if you like, so fast asaur
that we can actually even go quicker than that. But
thank you for being a part. We're going to jump
into I'm going to jump into this in the mail bag.
So we have dipped into the mail bag in the loss,
so let's do that real quick. Two years ago I
(02:20):
made the greatest decision of my life. After living years
of feeling lost and misery, anger, guilt, and depression, I
made the choice to no longer want to live that life.
On this day two years ago, with the influence of
two fellow Marines, I ended up in Camp Hope to
(02:40):
begin my healing process. The seven months i spent in
the program can be credited with saving my life. Through
many tears and self reflection, I now live a life
that I deserved for so many years. So very thankful
for my brothers me through it and standing by my
(03:01):
side week by week for seven months. Can't thank everyone
they got me through it at Camp Hope, but I'm
so very grateful to have met every one of you.
Life is great, for sure, but my healing process will
continue on as it never stops, but only gets.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Better day by day. Quote.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
We may be a product of our past, we are
no longer prisoners of it. That's from one of our graduates,
fellow named Patrick Graduate Program a couple years ago. It's
a pretty cool way to get the show started. Big
thanks to Patrick for sharing that. Uh big thank you
to our sponsors the last opportunity to spend a little
(03:45):
time with you each and every week. Are awesome friends
at Jimmy Chongis FRESHMACS Fun all across the Houston area.
Every day is a good day for some kso particularly today,
go by and check them out. Thinking for supporting our
veterans at Camp Hope. Are awesome friends out of Cory
Diamond Into Design, Billy and Connie Stagner a c O
ri I a Corey Diamond Design Christmas. The clock is
(04:06):
ticking and it's picking up speed two A one four
A two forty seven fifty five.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
They can take care of you if you want to
get down to friends with it. If you can't get there,
if you'll call them, get on zoom with them, they
will take great care of you. And you're supporting a
small business of supports our veterans at Camp Hope a
Corey Diamond and Design. And for all those oops moments
in life which we all have oops Steam dot com
(04:33):
two eight one eight two two zero five six one.
We keep them on speed dial around our place Oopssteam
dot com. All right, So, got a couple of combat
vets with us here in the show with us today,
one of them on staffed. Did I hear you say
this is the first time you've been on the show.
That's not true.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
You got jokes.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Uh, remind everybody who you are and grand introduction.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Yes, sir Anthony, who you are?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Lead mentor from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Served in the US around
and two deployments to Afghanistan. All right, Yeah, this is
my first time on the show, according to Pastor Mosby,
so we're gonna have to have him checked out with
you another appointment.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
First time this week. You've been on the show. Two
diployments is then, yes, Sir, to Afghanistan? And how long
have you been on STAPH.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
I've been on staff since twenty eighteen. All right, very cool,
glad to have you back, pleasure to be here.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
All right.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
We also have Adam with us. You want to give
the world a grand introduction. I want to interrupt you
like although maybe well, who knows?
Speaker 2 (05:35):
All right, no promises.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
Adam Kanash the United States Marine Corps three combat deployments,
one to Iraq and two to Afghanistan.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Where are you from.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
I'm from Torrington, Connecticut, Connecticut connect I cut yikes.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Two Yankees on the show with me today, surprised what
you can even say that?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Well, it's because of he's a marine. I'm gonna be nice.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
I try not to have too many Yankees around me
all at one time, and here I am surrounded by him.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Well, first time for everything.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
Well, I wouldn't say it's the first time.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
It's just not as rare as I would like for
it to be. I think we should make it more
common in your life. I think it would be an improvement.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
And how would that improve my life in any way
shape or for him?
Speaker 2 (06:26):
I'm curious.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Well, I think we could actually teach you a thing
or two about food, especially barbecue, an Italian food.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Okay, So funny fact I was. I went to visit
our different auv cats Cat's Coffee this week and he
told me a story. And I won't give you the numbers.
I'll just say he took some friends to dinner one
night this past week and the you know when they
(06:56):
when you're a nice restaurant, like not where I go
to eat, but that at a night restaurant, they uh
had you know, here's the specials for the day. And
of course they never tell you what the price is.
So he ordered two different items that were specials. One
was a pasta item, okay pasta, and he said it
(07:17):
was not enough to feed a person.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
That's the main entree.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
The believe the pasta dish itself, I remember correctly, like
two hundred dollars.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
It's a pasta dish like pasta.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
There's probably a quarter's worth of pasta in there, how
in the world, and you know you put red sauce
or white sauce, some kind of sauce on it, and
then they call it something fancy. Yeah, charge it anyway.
We won't do that to you. Everything we do is free.
We'll be right back with more of road to Hope radio.
(07:54):
You know that, all right?
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Ed?
Speaker 4 (08:00):
I'm so, when did you join the Corps? Did you
join r out of high school?
Speaker 5 (08:04):
Yep, I was seventeen years old. It was nineteen ninety nine,
and I you know, went down to Paras Island, South Carolina,
stepped down the yellow footprints and got you know, screamed
at for about twelve weeks, and served fourteen years, and
I got out of the Marine Corps in twenty thirteen.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Why did you join the Corps as opposed to army
or whoever.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Else dress blues? I've heard.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
I've heard that answer many times.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
No, why did I join the Marine Corps? I don't know.
I felt very drawn to the Marine Corps.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
I really liked the respect that they were given, you know,
not just by the community, but by you know, other
services even And once I started learning a little bit
about the Marine Corps, I learned about their their great
reputation in battle, and and you know, it really just
(09:03):
I feel like it called to me. Maybe I was
a marine in a past life.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (09:10):
I just felt I felt compelled to go do that.
I almost runed a Navy I walked into almost I
walked into the recruiter's office and said I wanted to
be a Navy seal. Was seventeen years old. He goes,
Sunday note, Navy seals do as No, so you want
to read this? And I was like, that's what I
want to do. And as I walked out, the marine
(09:32):
recruiter shouted at me and told me to come into
his office. He says he don't want to do that.
This is what you want to do, and the rest
is history.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I guess he sold John he did. He got me.
It was he's wearing dress blues. It comes full circle. Yeah,
well done. I like that.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
Okay, see Jill in the course not a wartime in
ninety nine.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Nope.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
So obviously, I mean you're seventeen, so I'm sure you weren't.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Most seventeens. I'll just put it this way.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Most seventeen year olds aren't really thinking long term. No,
and at that point, and what could this actually look like?
Speaker 2 (10:11):
No, my I was looking for some adventure.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
You got some of that, and I got plenty of
three deployments, three combat diploments.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
I was looking to get out of my hometown. You know.
Speaker 5 (10:23):
It was kind of a I was and I was
working a carpentry job, and I was working at Burger King,
and I did not do well in high school. College
wasn't really my my in my in my future. I
knew that, and uh, I wanted to challenge myself. I
wanted different experiences.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
You know.
Speaker 5 (10:42):
Not many people that I graduated with joined the military,
so I don't know.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
I felt I felt service.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
I wanted to definitely be in service to the nation
and just explore you know that the recruit makes it
sounds awesome and and it was, you know, and it was.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
There was definitely.
Speaker 5 (11:07):
Some not so awesome parts, but that's you know, the
end with the yang, I think. But overall, I'm grateful
I did it. I would never I can't change anything.
I would never would. I wouldn't be who I am
today if I hadn't gone down that journey.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
Sure, Oh, when was your first deployment?
Speaker 5 (11:24):
So I did a deployment, uh before nine to eleven.
When I was in the I started off in the infantry,
and that was two thousand to two thousand and one.
It was over the over the change of the millennia
or whatever. I was not you know, but yeah, so
it was late two thousand to early two thousand and
one and no war going on. So I got to
(11:45):
just bounce around on a ship in the Mediterranean and
you know, visited all these countries that I never thought
in a million years I'd get to go.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
And it was just really cool. And I came back broke,
but I had I had a blast. I had some
good pictures. Yeah, I had a good time.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Uh what was your what were was your first combat diploma?
Speaker 5 (12:05):
My first combat deployment was to Iraq in two thousand
and five and uh we were in a town of
hit H I T T. I believe it's just kind
of north of Ramadi on the Euphrates River.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
You were infantry at the time that at.
Speaker 5 (12:19):
That point I had made the jump over to uh
to recon. So I was a team leader, a recon
team leader, you know, five in Iraq.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
Okay, So your typical day looked like not that there's
a typical day in combat and it's.
Speaker 5 (12:32):
Nearly typical day, like typical mission day. You know, we
would we would insert you know, maybe set up at
the time. At the time, obviously I I d S
were a huge threat and they were all over the place,
so they would put us into and I was a
sniper as well, and so I would take my team,
my six man team. We'd set up and dig into
(12:52):
hide or you know, occupy a building that we could
uh camouflage ourselves in and we would just watch sections
of these roads to see if you know, we could
catch people planting bombs or maybe any type of information
intelligence to send back to the colonel who was in
charge of the area. Obviously you wanted to mitigate any casualties,
(13:13):
so a lot of security for that type of work,
with some raids sprinkled in and out, and I would
support do some reconnaissance on raid sites and even done
a few raids myself during that deployment.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
Okay, we're going to take a quick news break for
those of you on the nine to five. Oh we'll
be back with just in just a moment with more
of Road to Hope Radio head on that highway, and
(13:52):
we welcome you back to Road to Hope Radio. Glad
to have you a long reminder wherever you listen to podcasts,
just for Road to Hope Radio, get the subscribe button.
It's absolutely free, automatically download and you can listen to
it at your convenience. Please share that you never know
who might who might come across that that could really
use hearing what we discuss on this show. And a reminder,
(14:15):
as we go through these some of these stories, we
do understand that these can be triggers for some. So
I'm gonna ask you to put this phone number in
your phone. Eight seven seven seven one seven seventy eight
seventy three. I'm gonna give it to you again. It's
a lot of sevens, I know. Just put in your phone.
In fact, everyone put it in your phone. Please, please, please.
(14:35):
You never know when you may come across somebody and
you're gonna think, man, what was that number? But put
this in your phone. You might be able to share
with someone that could really use it. Eight seven seven
seven one seven seventy eight seventy three. A combat vet,
well answer the phone, So let me just say one
more tithing a combat vet, not someone just reading answers
(14:58):
off the screen. I'm bad that eight seven seven seven
one seven seventy eight seventy three. That is our combat
Trauma crisis line, and we.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Will be happy to take that call.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
Step in the mailbag one more time or quickly.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
This says nothing.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
From another graduate that wrote this week said, I coached
Little league this year and currently coaching third fourth grade
basketball at the elementary school. Just got accepted into my
local fire hall as a volunteer firefighter. Started working as
(15:35):
a mentor for veterans court. I love the light two
years ago that Camp Hope brought into my life. I'm
married to the most amazing patient woman talking to my
son again. We got custody of her sonback. Beyond grateful
for helping me understand that God was there, showed me
(15:59):
the way out. He didn't put me there, but he
led me out. Thanks for the opportunity. So that's from
one of our graduates, Ricky. Another Yankee's Yankees everywhere right now.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
It's National Yankee Day.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
I know, so all flags at half staff, everybody's in mornings.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
There for you.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
I haven't had caso. That's the problem. I have not
had caso today.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Yeah, that's all right. We're gonna get you some case.
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Yeah, somebody get some door dash caso over here gringos
and Jimmy Jonkas. All right, so uh first moments, oh
five next to two diplomas.
Speaker 5 (16:43):
Or that's two or two Afghanistan in two thousand and seven,
and again I had changed jobs. I went into the
Marine Special Operations Command in two thousand and six and
two thousand and seven we deployed into Helman Province, Afghanistan,
(17:04):
and uh, you know that was very kinetic, h deployment,
and we were very busy, uh, lots of enemy contact,
lots of interaction with the local tribal politics, which is
(17:25):
you know, it's very complex. I guess I can almost
kind of try to like if if you would think
of all the gangs in America and how they interact
with each other. That's kind of how these tribes interact
with each other. They don't trust anybody, and you're trying
to get them to work together and to rise up
against you know, the the Taliban who are oppressing them,
(17:50):
and and and they're at the same time they're they're
fighting us.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Everybody's fighting each other.
Speaker 5 (17:54):
And then you got this huge mess with the opium trade.
It's it's a pretty complex, uh wartime environment.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
And then your last apployment.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
My last deployment was in two thousand and nine. I
was in a high altitude parachute team for the Special
Operations Command and we were in Harat Province, Afghanistan, which
is northwest kind of on the Iranian Turkmenistan border, and
that was the same type of dynamic there. It was
a little more westernized because we were so close to
(18:25):
Iran with the trade and everything. But I guess that's
the same area that like Alexander the Great invaded from,
So there was a lot a lot more civilization type
stuff there.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
Because your last appointment was owned nine and you say
you got out in thirteen.
Speaker 5 (18:42):
Yes, So in between nine twenty thirteen, I was an
instructor for the Marine Special Operations School and I taught
the individual training.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Course and.
Speaker 5 (18:59):
Served there as is the lead Amphibius Operations instructor and
uh as the chief instructor until I got out in
twenty thirteen.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
Okay, probably the most important question I could ask you today, uh,
did you ever eat it Burger King? After having worked there?
Speaker 2 (19:21):
I can't eat it burger King anymore. They thank you.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
I just like to be the Is there a worst
hamburger in the world?
Speaker 2 (19:25):
About then. I'm just curious. Yeah, it used to be
good in like the nineties.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Today, most important question I can ask you well forgiving
me Adam for interrupting you used.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
To Did you ever go back like no, I can't
do it no more. Yeah, especially now coming to Texas.
You guys got the beef.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
I can't thank you.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
I cannot argue with your barbecue and your beef and
your brisk get and everything.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
I mean, it's it's you.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
When I joined the Marine Corps, I got stationed down
North Carolina, I thought before I joined the Marine Corps,
I thought barbecue was Nicrib.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
I didn't know. Oh I didn't know. I just didn't know,
you know, I just I didn't know.
Speaker 5 (20:01):
But now I know, you know, when they come to Texas
and it's a whole up and we're in the major leagues.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Now, I guess we are taking pretty serious down here. Okay, so.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
Obviously there's some PTSD involved. You wouldn't be camp Hope.
When did you first realize something was up?
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (20:20):
Well, so my plan was to retire at twenty years
and I did not make that, make that goal. I
left the Marine Corps not not on great terms, and
it had to do with my PTSD and my substance
abuse issues. So I was basically ordered into treatment initially
by judge and I'm grateful for that because it propelled
(20:44):
me on a different path in life and a path
of healing. And it hasn't been easy, but so so
I've been at this is trying to write my ships
since twenty thirteen.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
To get to Camp Have Hope.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
My past year has been just you know, just another
period of chaos in this healing journey. And uh, you know,
I spent uh, spend one hundred one days in jail.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
I was homeless.
Speaker 5 (21:16):
Friend of mine who had been here multiple times, and
it's here, still here today, Uh not today, but back
at camp today. He called me and told me about
this place, and uh, and.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
I prayed on it.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
I prayed on it a lot, and I didn't know
what to do, and I just I saw it as
the only clear path forward. So called down here. Got
accepted into the program, and I drove three days from
Connecticut down here to Houston, and uh, it gave me
(21:51):
a lot of time to pray and process and prepare,
I guess mentally and emotionally for you know, everything I'm
about that I was about to embark on yet again.
But this place is different, and uh, I'm just very
grateful for the opportunity and for the you know, the
(22:12):
blessing that I received and getting getting to this place
at this point in my life.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
When did you become homeless?
Speaker 5 (22:22):
So when I when I when I got released from jail,
and I guess it was.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
May of this year.
Speaker 5 (22:28):
Yeah, so I've just kind of been I didn't get
here till September, so I was bouncing around, living in
a tent, living in a truck, living in hotels. Finally
found a very generous person who let me kind of
couch surf for a little bit.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
However, wasn't ideal. And then I'm not sure couch surfing
is ever right now.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
No, no, no, especially if it's a stranger. You know,
I'm kind of a strange agent myself. So I never
really felt totally welcome, but not certainly not the way
I felt when I finally arrived here, and I felt
super welcomed and accepted and supported and just yeah, I'm
able to kind of be at peace now and work
(23:12):
on my issues.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
I'm grateful for that.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
Okay, so you got here September.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
You said, yes, sir, I got to hear my forty
third birthday September seventeenth, showed up.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
All right, it was a good birthday present.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
I like that.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Yeah, start a new journey and you got to start somewhere.
That's a good day to do it, Yes, sir, all right.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Just a reminderr.
Speaker 4 (23:35):
PTSD usa dot org is our website PTSD post Traumatic
Stress Disorder PTSD usa dot org. You can get information
not only about Camp Hope, which is our interim housing
program serving combat vets, but also our warrior groups and
our family support groups. All that information is available on
(23:58):
our website PTSD US. And by the way, you've been
here since September, so three months ashe Uh what's you
get a bill every week or once a month? Or
what's what's the deal for being at Camp Hope.
Speaker 5 (24:14):
Oh no, it is uh totally covered by volunt by
uh you know, donors, donators. Uh, there's lots of volunteers
to show up, and it's totally free to the to
the veteran.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
Here everything we do and no charge to our veterans
or their families. PTSD us a dot or. We're gonna
take a quick break and be right back with more
of Road to Hope Radio. Well, and welcome back to
(24:52):
Road to Hope Radio. Glad to have you along with us.
And we've got Anthony, who is what's your title these days?
Lead mentor Extraordinary these days?
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Like what are you doing these days? Do you do anything? Well?
Speaker 4 (25:06):
That is a question that I was gonna save that
for after the show, but since you brought it.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
Up, it's lead mentor. But the truth is the title
really don't matter much. It's the fellowship, the UH, peer
to peer mentorship, the Adam just sat here and gracefully
and I'm I'm grateful that you share your story, brother
about but there's days where Adam teaches me. I don't
just teach others. It's a peer to peer. It takes
(25:31):
a whole group of combat vets to.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Help each other. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
Adam United States Marine Vet UH. He's currently in the
program at Camp Hope and Adam, like as Anthony said,
thank you for being willing to want to be here,
but also share some of your story. And obviously some
of that's not you know, the easiest or the most
enjoyable parts of our life to talk about. None of
us really want to drag out our worst moments for
(25:56):
the world. But thank you for being willing to share
a little bit your story. So the Marine Corps helped
you understand there was an issue, and you mentioned since then,
since thirteen, you've kind of been on a journey to
try to write the ship. I think was the word
she used.
Speaker 5 (26:11):
Yes, sir, it hasn't been easy. You know, there's been
ups and downs. I had to, you know, come to
terms with the fact that I was surrounded by, you know,
not the most helpful people. I allowed myself to be
manipulated by some wrong people and you know, got sucked
down bad pathways, you know, prayed about it. You know,
(26:33):
like I said, I ended up in jail and had
a moment in jail when I don't know if it
was Jesus or if it was God or said to
me walk away and said hurt it in my head
and it was profound. And once I got out of jail,
(26:54):
I tried to kind of go back, maybe find some
helpful parts of that community I was in. And I
recognized real fast that that was a true message that
I had to listen and follow. And then, like I said,
I got this message from my old friend, O marine friend,
and uh, it took me about two three days to bite,
and I did, and I'm grateful I did because now
(27:15):
I'm here and I'm able to really make progress with
my traumas and my healing.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
So, as you were describing that a little while ago,
you the words you use where this place is different. Yeah,
what what do you mean with that?
Speaker 5 (27:32):
Well, I'm I dare say magical and and and in
that sense that you know, it's just, uh, there's an
energy at Camp Hope that I've just never experienced at
any other treatment facility, rehab program anywhere, honestly, and I've
(27:54):
been to quite a few, you know, with the VA
and and and other.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Last year I did a research program up in Boston
at Harvard Harvard Research Doctors, and it just wasn't It's
not I don't know if it's the spirituality.
Speaker 5 (28:10):
I don't know if it's just maybe it's Texas, you know,
it could it could not be. It could be the barbecue.
I don't know what you guys are putting in the barbecue.
But no, honestly, there's it's kind of indescribable, but I
recognize it.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
It's undeniable for sure.
Speaker 5 (28:28):
And and to see all these guys here. Who are
I see people change over the over the three months
I've been here. I've changed over the three months i've
been here, and I feel more confident. I feel more proud,
I feel more useful. You know, I went from a
(28:49):
place of I don't think I was suicidal, but I
wasn't as productive as I thought I should be. And
now I look for thinking that I have really something
to offer everybody, and certainly you know, my daughter, my family,
and other combat veterans.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
So Tony talked about the Camp Hope forty a little
while ago. How much way have you gained since you've
been in Camp Hope.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
I have gained twenty five pounds, but it's all muscle.
Speaker 4 (29:25):
Yeah, I understand that. But the away gain better nutritional
values and other such things contribute to that. But the
Jonathan Kim Jim doesn't hurt, you know.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
The Jonathan Kim Jim is amazing. It is awesome. It's
very grateful to have that.
Speaker 5 (29:39):
And I trained in martial arts, so it's nice that
they have that kickback there. So I spend lots of
time punching my frustrations out, which is which is a
far more healthy outlet I think nowadays you.
Speaker 4 (29:51):
Know, Anthony, he used the word magical, and that was
one of the reasons I love the ability that we
have mainly in part to iHeart, but to our show
sponsors allow us to hear these stories and let these
guys say their story, their words, their way. And I've
heard the word magically used before. I've heard miraculous on
(30:13):
many occasions, and I kind of always shy away from
that word. But both with either one of those you use,
I'm always like, I understand what you're saying, right, I
get it, and I can see particularly you know, the
way people use miracles and that type of thing, the
(30:35):
way it's used in our culture today. I get why
people use that terminology. So I'm not trying to sparse
words with anybody, but a true miracle, it's been only
on God. I don't have to do anything for God
to do a miracle. God can part the sea, let
(30:58):
the children of Israel across dry ground, swallow up the
most powerful military in the world at the time. Not
a shot was fired, not an arrow was shot, not
a rock was thrown, and the most powerful military might
in the world was overthrown. So kind of like that's
a miracle. But I get it, but it's work. Talk
(31:21):
about that a little bit.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
Well, first of all, you know, you look at everything
that's provided from the community, and you know I just
said that, you know, it's not Texas. But the truth is,
God's using this community in Texas to provide. And I
could sit here and tell you about, you know, all
the things that us combat vets do to help each other.
Like I was just saying, Adam helps me, I help Outam.
(31:43):
But the truth is is the true tithing is the
community storing up goods for the whole community, for.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Those that are in need.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
And the community here in Texas with Camp Hope, they
provide all the stuff that we need. We can do
the work with, you know, working through actually being transparent
and vulnerable and confessing the things that we carry alone
by ourselves to where we don't have to worry about well,
(32:12):
how am I going to get the lights on? How
am I going to pay for the counseling, How am
I going to you know, pay for my food? How
am I going to make sure that my laundry is done?
And I need laundry, soap and all the different things
that come from running the household. Well, the Texas community
is definitely falling in the steps of listening to God
providing for the combat vets here. But then we can
(32:33):
actually be transparent and vulnerable and forgive each other, confess
to each other, and by doing so, that is what
you know Adam described as magic. But to me, when
we confess and we forgive, then we see that raw love.
We see that freedom, that that relief that comes from
associating with people in low position, that comes from being
(32:57):
there when no one else understands, when sometimes it might
be too painful for a family member, too unrelatable for
somebody that doesn't or hasn't experienced combat. So for us,
the work is having the courage to be transparent. You know,
Adam had a ton of courage as he talked about
(33:17):
in this process to get to Camp Hope. He prayed,
that's the work. The work is staying the course, processing
with wise counsel, other combat vets that are telling you, hey,
something's going on. And it's amazing to me that you
look at Adam and his brothers. We see this a
lot at Camp Hope where the work's being done. After
(33:38):
our brothers are combat vets leaving Camp Hope and we'll
start seeing units actually come through Camp Hope because one
brother figured it out and then the other one that
trust him is the only one he trusts is saying, Hey, Adam,
there's this place called Camp Hope.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Well, what do you know about it?
Speaker 4 (33:55):
Well, and to that point, the reason Camp Hope does exist,
reason it's here. The reason there was a bed for
Adam when he made that call, made the choice to
get some help. The reason there was a bed available
over him was because of great community. You're in contributions
if you're considering who you might donate to here at
the end of the year PTSDUSA dot org. For every
(34:17):
VET we've had over two thousand veterans come through our doors,
there's thousands and thousands more that need us. If you
can help us, make sure there's a bet available for
that next VET that calls ptsd USA dot org. Thanks
again for listening, Fellas, Thanks for sharing some of your
story today. For being again next week for more of
Road to Hope Radio
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