The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) is sharing the personal stories and experiences of our Veterans through a series of audio interviews.

These 90-second segments will explore the challenges faced by some Veterans and the MDVA services and support available to Veterans and their families.

During 24 years of service, John experienced some personal losses and challenges, like going through a divorce and determining custody arrangements for his one-year-old child just one month before deploying to Iraq. /mdva/assets/audio-mdva-john-b-01_tcm1066-686196.wavListen to John’s story.

While deployed, John asked for his antidepressant medication to be sent in blank bottles so they couldn’t publicly be identified as his. Once returning home, John started meeting with a therapist and found it helpful to understand his struggles. /mdva/assets/audio-mdva-john-b-02_tcm1066-686197.wavHear John share more.

Learn about MDVA’s resources for military family counseling.

Beyond Active Duty – Caring for those who served is produced in partnership with Ampers and airs on 17 of their community radio stations serving Minnesota’s diverse communities.