By Sandi Moynihan
FORT CAMPBELL, KY — When Matthew Grigsby first joined the Army in 2006, he had every intention of serving a full 20 years before retiring to civilian life.
“I loved being an NCO. I loved having soldiers. Army life was easy,” Grigsby said.
But that all changed after a series of rapid deployments to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom left Grigsby with severe mental health issues that limited his ability to work.
“I tried to go back [to work] but it started make things worse,” Grigsby said.
Eventually, with the help of his command, Grigsby realized that it was time for him to begin the Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) process and transition out of the military, despite his 20-year plan.
“From there, I was completely lost. [I] didn’t know what to do, where to go,” Grigsby said.
Luckily, that’s where USO Pathfinder stepped in. Watch the video to hear the rest of Grigsby’s story.
You can send a message of support and thanks directly to service members via the USO’s Campaign to Connect. Your messages will appear on screens at USO locations around the world.
Every day, America’s service members selflessly put their lives on the line to keep us safe and free. Please take a moment to let our troops know how much we appreciate their service and sacrifice.
