Veterans
Opinion

Carry On, Wayward Veteran

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Carry On, Wayward Veteran
U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment pull an injured teammate uphill during Dragoon Ready 23 at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, on Jan. 28, 2023. The soldier's injuries were simulated as a part of the exercise. DoD photo by Spc. Micah Wilson
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Commentary

During my time in the Army, I had the great fortune to “unplug” from the operational Army and be a graduate student at Princeton University. During that time, I must admit I was chasing ghosts. I toiled and mulled over thoughts and feelings wondering: “Is there something wrong with me?” Sadly, veterans and the military have been used as political footballs on many occasions. Inconsistent and overinflated statistics of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are touted by politicians to score points or attempt to skew arguments in their favor.

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Mike Kelvington grew up in Akron, Ohio. He is an infantry officer in the U.S. Army with experience in special operations, counterterrorism, and counterinsurgency operations over twelve deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, including with the 75th Ranger Regiment. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor and two Purple Hearts for wounds sustained in combat. He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, a Downing Scholar, and holds Master's degrees from both Princeton and Liberty Universities.
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