A firsthand account of what many of our service members
go through when transitioning from military to civilian life
BY CARLOS RUIZ
My name is Carlos Ruiz. I am a paratrooper; I
was with the 82nd Airborne Division 1st Brigade
Combat Team. I enlisted when I was 17 and was
deployed to Afghanistan soon after for a year. My
time in war consisted of riding in the gunner position in a Humvee. I provided cover during supply
runs and security during improvised explosive
device detonations. I was involved in combat engagements and lost many brothers to the war.
22
November 2016 - March 2017