By Reginald Williams, Particular to the AFRO
Employed by the Division of Housing and City Improvement (HUD), Verlean Ok. Brown longed to buy a house, however her annual wage didn’t afford her the chance to change into a house owner.
On the time, Brown was working within the farm fields and eating places, had earned her affiliate diploma from Hinds Junior Faculty, and labored for the Mississippi Division of Well being. Looking for an answer to her monetary shortcomings, the Mississippi native was inspired by the Military recruiter boyfriend of an acquaintance. Someday, with two pals by her facet, Brown walked to the second flooring of the HUD constructing and the trio joined the Military Reserves.
“I don’t remorse becoming a member of the Military,” defined the previous grasp sergeant. “Becoming a member of supplied me with a lot. It supplied me with my training, my journey, and my son was in a position to make use of the GI Invoice to go to high school. I used to be in a position to construct my house in Orlando, Fla.”
Hailing from Terry, MS., positioned roughly 30 miles south of Jackson, MS., Brown, 71, is from a big household. She is the third eldest of ten kids, eight women and two boys. She admits to feeling privileged rising up together with her household due to the work ethics of her dad and mom.
“Me being from a big household, and my father having a farm, I used to be raised a little bit bit extra privileged. I had something I may need and extra. My mom and father had been good suppliers,” Brown defined.
Brown’s time within the Military finally supplied her with the chance to buy the one factor she didn’t have — her house.
A 35-year navy veteran, Brown is disabled. She is grateful as a result of in her retirement and together with her incapacity, she continues to reap the advantages supplied by the navy.
“I’m presently a disabled veteran,” defined Brown. “They paid for all of my medicines and surgical procedures and recognized my most cancers. They did every thing to make it possible for I used to be effectively.”
Whereas stationed in Iraq, Brown was uncovered to burn pits. The pits are open-air waste disposals consisting of the gathering of burned trash. The trash’s expelled toxins are credited with subjecting troopers to potential well being dangers. Brown mentioned the navy confirmed that her most cancers was the results of her publicity to the pits.
Throughout Brown’s three-decade-plus profession, the previous Grasp Sergeant’s stellar service impacted quite a few navy occupations. Nevertheless, her most important affect occurred as a Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SACR).
“My most impactful MOS (navy occupational expertise) was serving as the primary Sexual Assault Response Coordinator. I used to be a SARC,” mentioned Brown. “I consider I actually helped lots of people. I stepped up and arranged this system for the troopers deployed to Iraq. Anytime a brand new unit would deploy to Iraq, it was obligatory for them to have sexual assault consciousness coaching.”
Brown was acknowledged by the USA Division of Protection and acquired the 2009 Distinctive SARC Award.
“I used to be acknowledged with a crystal plague. I additionally visited the Capital to go to with Congressmen and Senators from Mississippi and Arkansas. I met with Eric Holder, the legal professional common below President Obama, and he introduced me with an award and video presentation,” shared Brown.
Brown enlisted with the Reserves in 1976 and deployed to Iraq because the Deployed Sexual Assault Coordinator and Equal Alternative Advisor of the 3d Sustainment Command in April 2008. There she served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Like most troopers, being deployed in a struggle zone has its challenges.
“The primary time I used to be deployed, I used to be a little bit afraid, not figuring out what to anticipate, however I talked to a buddy, and he jogged my memory that no matter state of affairs I confronted, I might accomplish that with God on my facet. I believed ‘God is my information.’ He’ll be main me and taking good care of me. I went out on religion. I trusted God in that state of affairs. I checked out it like I used to be imagined to be in Iraq at the moment and in that place because the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator to deal with individuals.”
Now retired for the previous 11 years, Brown, who nonetheless resides in Orlando, believes becoming a member of the navy was one of many wisest choices.
“It was one of the vital vital and rewarding choices I made. I don’t remorse any half,” Brown mentioned. “A few of it was dangerous—I don’t even need to discuss that however becoming a member of the navy and making it a profession and retiring from the navy and being arrange financially, medically and mentally was by the navy.”
The identical navy advantages that benefitted Brown, she believes, can assist youth experiencing monetary struggles.
“I believe that the navy is a good profession for younger individuals, particularly for those who come from ‘the nation’ and so they don’t have scholarships or funds to go to high school,” shared the Arkansas State College graduate, of the navy advantages. “They deal with the medical. They deal with the training. They deal with different coaching. They deal with the psychological wants. They supply grants, funds for housing and companies if you wish to begin a small enterprise. It’s simply so many alternatives that the navy offers.”
Reginald Williams, the writer of “A Marginalized Voice: Devalued, Dismissed, Disenfranchised & Demonized” writes on Black males and holistic well being considerations. Please e-mail bookreggie@reginaldwilliams.org or go to amvonlinestore.com for extra data.
