Transitioning from military to civilian life was “a downhill spiral” for Army Veteran Gregory Saunders. Departing from his camouflage uniform, combat boots and the security of a military base to the new reality of calling a car as his home led him to a dark place.
In the midst of nightmares and physical pain, he began to depend on alcohol to heal. When that no longer worked, he attempted to take his own life.
No longer recognizing himself, Saunders was told by a friend to visit Building 16 at West Palm Beach VA. This is when West Palm Beach VA entered his life as his last hope. “I walked inside the building and, with my conditions, left with emergency housing,” Saunders said.
The support didn’t stop there. With a commitment to leave his unhealthy habits behind and eager to serve his brothers and sisters in arms, he was hired as a housekeeping aid at the West Palm Beach VA. Upon hiring, he told his manager, “This will not be a mistake.”
Passion to serve allows him to excel
Cleaning supplies in one hand, and a passion to serve, allowed him to excel in his VA career. Now, six years later, he leads his own team as a Housekeeping Aid Supervisor. “I owe VA everything. They really did save me. They gave me hope. They give us Veterans hope,” he said.
For Saunders, his role is more than meeting cleanliness standards. It’s connecting with those who are in the shoes he once wore: “I stay dedicated to Veterans at the hospital, especially those going through what I have been through. I try to encourage them that things can get better and educate them about the resources that got me to where I am.”
It’s not rare to find him sitting alongside the beds of hospitalized Veterans listening to their stories. In his eyes, the medical center is more than a treatment center. It’s their home. Those moments of listening are the small things someone once did for him, and that conversation years ago has allowed him to become who he is today.
Continuing his service outside of the military is what fulfills him. “I had a lot of lives in my hands when I served, and I still feel that way now. Veterans depend on me to do my job,” he said.
Saunders once walked into the medical center as a hopeless, homeless Veteran and is now a supervisor. There is hope: “The help is here. It is waiting for you.”
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