Page 20 - 2021-Donor-Impact-Report
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      ROBERT: IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO ASK FOR HELP! Serving in the 70’s
In 1977, Robert J. graduated from high school in Indianapolis and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army. When he left for basic training in June, it was his first time leaving the state.
“That was the best moment of my life,” Robert said. “It changed me from the little shy kid that I was. My sergeants helped me learn to speak up. And they helped me learn to take pride in myself, and dig deep to find a desire that I didn’t know how to find myself.”
20 | HVAF
He mentioned that while serving in the military in the 1970’s, he experienced discrimination as an African American. During his time in the military, he said white soldiers were favored over colored soldiers, and the sergeants were segregated.
ARMY VETE
“There were some moments where you were targeted as being a young African American,” Robert said. “But I live by a mantra – too hard headed to quit.”
He said that mantra helped him overcome years of racism and discrimination that he experienced.
The struggles
On the outside – life after the military seemed great for Robert. He ran his own computer programming and training company, and taught classes at the local college. He even got married and had a child. But on the inside – he really struggled and he didn’t understand why. He spent years sweeping his problems under the rug.
“I did wind up with some mental health issues that no one wanted to talk about,” Robert said.
At age 14, he said he attempted suicide twice. He said no one around him would address it. It wasn’t until recently that he recognized that he couldn’t hide it anymore. He knew he couldn’t deal with it all alone and needed to ask for help.
“I’m just thankful these days that people are open to talk about it, back in those days no one wanted to talk about it,” Robert said.
“You were labeled as one word back then: crazy.”
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