CLEVELAND — Keith Van Buskirk is a proud veteran after serving nearly 10 years in the military.

What You Need To Know

  • Keith Van Buskirk served in the military for nearly a decade 

  • He came home with PTSD and other mental health issues, but then found the nonprofit organization Warriors Journey Home

  • Van Buskirk now works for that organization and is helping other veterans

“I wanted to serve, and I love this country, and I wanted to protect it,” he said.

After he came home from deployment in Iraq, he wasn’t the same.

“I didn’t process my emotions so well," he said. "I mean, I had survivor’s guilt and I had some anger."

Van Buskirk said he suffered from PTSD and other mental health issues. Then he found the nonprofit organization Warriors Journey Home.

John Schulep, the founder of the organization, explained the importance.

“There’s a dissociation between the military and the civilian community," Schluep said. "So, Warrior’s Journey Home attempts to step into that gap and to care for the veterans that are coming home with the post traumatic stress."

Schluep is also a veteran and said the goal of the organization is to assist the healing of veterans who experience PTSD, moral injury and other mental health issues.

“They’re still scarredl there’s still scar tissue, reminds them of where they’ve been," Schulep said. "Now they carry wisdom, and that wisdom can be used to help other people."

Van Buskirk is now on track with his own life and works as the program director for Warriors Journey Home and helps others who struggle with similar things to what he experienced.

"I really had no spiritual life, and with John and Warriors Journey Home, I finally was able to develop a spiritual part of my life, which didn't exist before,” Van Buskirk said.

He said he’s thankful he gets to now help other veterans.

“It’s beneficial, I think, to not let it eat you up and to talk about it and to be able to help others,” Van Buskirk said.