Marine Veteran Helps Other Vets Transition From Life In The Military To College

Marine Corp veteran Mark Stillion deployed four different times, to both Iraq and Afghanistan. He saw a lot during his time away, so when he came back home, he unfortunately battled very severe post-traumatic stress disorder.

Having PTSD made it especially hard for him to adjust back to civilian life, but luckily he was able to get help while he was a student at Kent State University.

Now in his senior year at Kent, he will soon be starting a master’s program for counseling, and is on a mission to help other veterans who battle PTSD and other mental health issues.

“I’m a big advocate for veterans’ mental health, to bring the suicide rate down and help with post-traumatic stress. That’s what I have a passion for and that’s what I want to do.” Stillion told Fox 8.

There is a special office at Kent State where veterans are able to go to learn about their benefits and get started. People there like Stillion help these veterans ands support them with whatever they need.

They are able to connect the veterans with services on campus, whether it be benefits, clubs, or mental health help. Their goal is to make their transition to civilian life as smooth as possible.

Stillion explains that veterans who start college are older, and that it’s much different than students who start college straight out of high school. Because of this, he is there to help these new students and offer insight into classes that he thinks would be good for them.

Learn more about Stillion’s efforts to help fellow veterans in the video below: