Sergeant Jay Walker shares his 15-year military journey and the challenges of living with a traumatic brain injury sustained during his deployment to Bosnia.
• Joined the Army at 19 as a combat engineer, stationed first in Germany
• Deployed to Bosnia for 10 months in 1997 where he suffered a traumatic brain injury
• Left active duty in 2001 but returned to reserves in 2007, changing roles to dental assistant
• Experiences ongoing symptoms including migraines, memory loss, slurred speech, and vision problems
• Faced homelessness even while serving in the reserves
• Found purpose through coaching high school football despite ongoing health challenges
• Emphasizes the importance of mental health support and "doing the work" for recovery
• Advocates for better understanding from family members supporting veterans
• Plans to start his own podcast to continue sharing veteran experiences
If you want to suggest topics for Jay's upcoming podcast or connect with him, please reach out to us at ablondeabrunetteandamic@gmail.com.
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