I've been able to regain a sense of who I am.

I have found in my 16 years of being a Veteran

in this VA system that PTSD is very common.

We've all, in combat or in being integrated with men and working

in these manly positions: firing weapons,

cleaning heavy equipment and climbing on big trucks

and all the good stuff that we get to do, we forget sometimes

that we are mothers and daughters.

And I've been able to regain a sense of who I am today,

that I am a mom and a daughter and that I'm allowed

to have the feelings that I haven't entitled myself to feel

for so long because of the PTSD.