This is the story of a Veteran who got a second chance.
Handcuffed both physically and mentally, Army Veteran Darrell Guilford felt like he never left the warzone behind him when he departed from military service.
Once surrounded by a unit of soldiers that shared not just bunk beds but also battlefield experiences, Guilford found himself surrounded by the isolation of civilian life, facing invisible wounds alone. Those wounds were too tough to mend when the place he called home didn’t believe in internal warzones.
“In the beginning, I didn’t believe in mental health. People in my community didn’t get mental help, they didn’t believe in that type of thing. I was just thrown back into the civilian life without that brotherhood and nobody to understand me. So, I ended up being incarcerated,” Guilford said.
Behind confined to a cell was when he knew it was time to make a change.
The discipline engraved into him from his military service was a constant reminder to not give up. “I was a strong soldier. I served my country. I knew because of this I was going to make it.
“At first, I was very skeptical. I did not believe anybody would be there to help me or anybody would be willing to. But, step by step, the Health Care for Re-entry Veterans program proved me wrong.”
“VA was a life raft thrown to me.”
Medical appointments after appointments, Guilford was able to make sense of his invisible scars without judgment. “I was drowning. VA was a life raft thrown to me. I did not want to get back into the same cycle I was in before.”
VA kept him afloat with the support of a physiatrist, a roof over his head and a personalized health plan, he landed a career opportunity right after his journey.
Unrecognizable from his days behind bars to now a GEO Group post release case manager, he continues his service by helping those wearing invisible shackles like those that once weighed him down.
Guilford is now on the other side of the jail cell, supporting the second chance at life to other incarcerated Veterans. From helping with the essentials, like clothing, to employment, he understands the transition back into the community from military service and incarceration.
“VA did not give up on me.”
Guilford urges Veterans to take the chance as he once did. “We served this country, so we should allow VA to serve us. VA did not give up on me. They were there for me when I needed it the most. They listened to me.”
Learn more about the Health Care for Re-entry Veterans program.
