Finding a new way to serve: patrick's story

For Patrick, leaving the military was not the transition he expected. After four years in the U.S. Navy, he expected to feel relief returning to civilian life. Instead, he experienced significant anxiety and struggled to understand what was happening to him.

Patrick served in the Navy from 2013 to 2017 as a Damage Controlman aboard the USS Kearsarge, an amphibious ship that transported Marines to the Fifth Fleet. His role as a Damage Controlman was similar to that of a naval firefighter. In 2015, he attended rescue swimmer school and became one of two rescue swimmers aboard the Kearsarge. He deployed twice during his service.

His transition home was difficult. While driving from Virginia to California after leaving the Navy, Patrick experienced a severe panic attack and ended up in an emergency room in Austin, Texas.

“I thought it was going to be really a lot of relief coming out of the Navy, and I actually had a lot of anxiety,” Patrick said.

That experience made Patrick realize he needed support during his transition. It also eventually inspired him to create Pat’s Taps, an audio-based transition program designed to provide veterans with information and perspective from someone who had gone through the process himself.

“I got over it. It was a really challenging thing that was unexpected but ended up leading to a good place where I felt like I could support and help other people,” Patrick said.

Patrick also found support through therapy, where he met Wyakin Foundation’s Director of Veteran Programs, George Nickel. George became an important mentor and role model for Patrick. Seeing George combine his experience as a veteran with a career in social work helped Patrick see a similar path for himself.

“A lot of things that I aspire to be came from him,” Patrick said.

With an undergraduate degree in sociology and an interest in mental health, Patrick decided to pursue a master's degree in social work. He wanted to understand not only the therapeutic side of helping people, but also the social and cultural factors that shape their lives.

Patrick decided to get involved because of the monthly financial support and because he valued having people in his corner while navigating the challenges of graduate school.

“I love having people that are in my corner while I'm going through something challenging,” Patrick said. “In this case, it's grad school, so it's been wonderful.”

As Patrick worked toward his master's degree, Wyakin became a consistent source of support.

“Wyakin has been an impact on my life for that consistency of seeing where I was before I joined the program to now,” Patrick said, “Because of Wyakin, I felt supported.” For Patrick, that support has been more than financial assistance. It has meant having people around him who understand what he is going through and can offer encouragement along the way.

When Patrick talks about what he is most proud of since leaving the military, he points to his family. He is proud of how he has navigated being a husband and father while continuing to pursue his goals. Patrick is proud of the relationship he has built with his family while balancing graduate school and his other ambitions.

Looking ahead, Patrick plans to work part time as a therapist after graduation. He also hopes to mentor other veterans through Wyakin, giving back some of the support that helped him along the way.

“I would love to mentor other people,” Patrick said. “Within Wyakin, if I can be any type of assistance for other people, happy to do that and just kind of pay it forward in the way that was given to me.”

Long term, Patrick and his wife hope to build seminars and group programs together. With his background in social work and her experience as a life coach, they hope to create supportive group environments for people navigating a variety of challenges, including veterans and couples.

His advice to other veterans reflects what he has learned along the way:

“Take it into little bite sizes and know that you have decades of life ahead of you to figure this out, and it doesn't have to get all ironed out today or even this month or year. So, give yourself a break. Coming out of the military is really hard. It's really common for people to have a really hard time with that. You might need to decompress some of that time that you put in and get some of your time back. So, take care of yourself and find people in your life that are supportive for you.”

For Patrick, the transition out of the military was harder than he expected. But finding support, pursuing a career in mental health, and building a life with his family have helped him move forward.

Now, as Patrick prepares for a career as a therapist, he hopes to provide others with the kind of support that helped him move forward. Through his work and his desire to mentor other veterans, he hopes to pay that support forward.