Meet Nathan

Nathan grew up in historic Jonesborough, Tennessee.  He knew his wife, Sarah, while still in grade school and they have a one-year-old daughter, Natalie.  Nathan never made it to Iraq. He did so well in training at Fort Carson, in Colorado, and he was hoping one day to be an instructor.  The day before graduation, he took a jab to the face that resulted in a traumatic brain injury.  He was surprised at the unrelenting pain he felt that affected not only his head, but radiated down his neck and back. At first, doctors thought he would heal easily but the pain persisted and new challenges emerged. He had good days, and some very bad days.  It took weeks to diagnose injury to the disks in his back. He began to notice he couldn't complete simple tasks he'd routinely completed just weeks before.  Nathan got lost while driving and found he had a hard time remembering things, problems he never experienced in the past.  Finally, he was diagnosed with a traumatic brain Injury (TBI) and contacted Operation TBI Freedom after hearing about it on base.

Nathan is still serving in the Army, but he's restricted from most physical activity because of his brain injury.  He got a much needed GPS system through the Military TBI Emergency Funds which Nathan described as the most helpful thing he has ever owned.  Operation TBI Freedom helped Nathan access the Ombudsman program (Base Solider Advocate) so that he could get his medication adjusted. John Lenz, Nathan's OTF Care Coordinator, explained how Nathan could apply for Social Security.

Today, Nathan is contemplating a different kind of future than he imaged when he first arrived at Fort Carson. He's thinking about attending college, perhaps studying criminal justice and pursuing his passion for working on cars, a hobby he had before he joined the military. While Nathan has learned many important lessons during his time in the Army, he says one has made an indelible mark: It's important to "defend yourself" at all times. Nathan never guessed the journey he began in 2006 would return him to Jonesborough just two years later. He is grateful that he is getting the support and services he needs to rebuild his life and begin a new future.