15 Jun 2016
Annual Traumatic Brain Injury Scholarship Application
My name is Jeffrey L, and I am a United States Air Force veteran. I served 11 years an F-22 Raptor mechanical Specialist from 2004-2015. After sustaining an injury in the line of duty, I was medically separated which brought with it many hardships amongst my family being out of a job and now labeled a ‘disabled veteran’. Uncertainty can be one of hazardous variables within the context of a family. I immediately attended Wayland Baptist University, now in my second year of scholarly education I have astronomical goals. I currently hold a 4.0 GPA, and hope to have the same now at the completion of spring and going into summer semester. As an undergraduate I am achieving a B.A.S. in Business Administration, then I will immediately move into the Master’s program specializing in Project Management. My final end goal is to enter the Doctorate of Management program without haste as well.
My traumatic brain injury (TBI) I sustained affect my personal, educational, and employment relationships. Memory and concentration issues are also prevalent. I find it extremely difficult to get to a point physically and mentally to write papers and complete assignments. Classes are also difficult given the multitude of onset cluster migraines in addition to intense migraines that involve dizziness, blurred vision, vomiting, sensitivity to light and noises. To be more precise, I had a meta-research paper I was working on for a business organization course, the topic was change management. Given the nature of the paper, material and sources tend to blend together, I would often lose sight of what my outline actually meant. Rewriting the paper four times because it was not fluid or made any sense to even myself.
When applying for a job, my credentials may satisfy someone enough to have a look and schedule me for an interview. But once I sit down face-to-face with people, it never truly feels like I fulfill what they are looking for which is a ‘good-fit’ within their group. I have a good appearance, vocabulary, and appeal. What separates me from others is the confusion and application of my education thus far. As I continue working with specialists, I feel and hope I will regain some sense of normality and refuse to use my disabilities as a crutch.
Equally attributable is my marriage complications, almost 5 years now and it has been a rollercoaster. TBI’s portion is heightened irritability and the migraines. Separating myself into a dark room, or making ER visits overtime creates strain in the family. The irritability comes from lack of control I know I once had. In the end, I hope my continuing education and medical care continues to break barriers within myself. Knowing you have it, but not marking yourself as some victim is key to progress. One day, maybe I will say I am stronger because of TBI, we can all hope. Thank you for the opportunity and for reading.