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Even with a West Point degree and my military experience, the transition to a civilian job was tough. I struggled to find a position that offered development and advancement and was frustrated with the lack of opportunities. Looking back, my service experiences created challenges – I had difficulty communicating and developing relationships and hadn’t developed the networking skills I needed to find professional positions within my field.
And then, I picked up a camera. Work and school had been too left-brain and I needed the release of something creative. Photography became both a hobby and an escape. I found I couldn’t learn enough about it and it quickly became a passion. When a layoff spurred my disillusionment with corporate American, I decided to pursue photography as a profession.
I became involved with a non-profit called Project Wounded Ego, which focused on taking photos of Veterans engaged in activities. There, I began talking with other Veterans about using the camera in awkward social situations. Our experiences with the healing power of the camera — and the images it creates — were similar. We shared similar experiences, recognizing the need to tell Veterans’ stories through positive images and understanding the value of photography in helping them transition from Active Duty.