A Family’s Perspective: Love, Service, Resilience, and Wounds By Hannah Hutler-Boyd, Chief Program Officer at Camp Corral Camp Corral has the privilege of serving military families across the country, providing programs that offer respite and peer-connections for children and families of wounded, ill, injured, and fallen military personnel. Families serve as the support system carrying service members and veterans forward through the good and challenging times. We are honored to share one family’s story of perseverance -- how they learned to roll with the punches both individually and as a family unit. During a recent interview, they shared how they have embraced their family’s legacy of service in their own ways. Scott, Amie and their children Justice (16) and Liberty Grayce (10) are a veteran family living in Louisiana. Through their 17 years of service with the National Guard, the family has experienced the roller coaster of military life that many military families understand. Gone for 18 months just days after the birth of his son, Scott served in a combat role during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). During his duties, he suffered an injury to his knee and then later was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that continues to impact the family.
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WWW.HomelandMagazine.com / DECEMBER 2020
Through it all, Scott’s family continues to support him as he deals with the aftermath of combat and military service. What would you want the civilian community to understand about what it means to be part of a veteran family? - The oath never dies. Scott, “When I took that oath 20 some odd years ago, I never knew until I went overseas and fought for my country that the oath never dies. Our love for our family, our country, and God are top of our minds. And we’re different.” The family also demonstrates this sentiment through their continued commitment to service within their community. The whole family is driven to continue their service. With several hurricanes impacting their community, there is a lot to be done and they chip in wherever and whenever possible. Liberty, “I like to donate to food banks, or make Christmas boxes, or do anything like that because I know we are not the only ones. We don’t have a lot, but they don’t have as much as we do. It makes me feel good when I do it.”