May 09, 2023
Craving a sense of purpose, Joseangel Campos, 37, joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2009. He served for 10 years as an equipment engineer operator and was stationed in Japan, Afghanistan, North Carolina, New Mexico and California.
Today, Campos lives in El Paso, Texas, with his wife, Carolina, and their four children: Jennal, Caiden, Johannah and Cayson. He continues to battle the effects of service-connected injuries, including some that occurred more than a decade ago.
“While recruiting in my first year, I was in a high-speed motor vehicle accident that changed my whole career,” he said. “I never recovered from my physical and mental injuries, some of which I was either trying to hide or didn’t know I had at first.”
In addition to a traumatic brain injury and hairline fractures in his back and knee, Campos copes with Post Traumatic Stress (PTS). While researching PTS resources, he found the VFW’s Unmet Needs program and received assistance to help cover a mortgage payment.
“The support made the mental challenges go away,” he said. “Now I can focus more on what has to be done to move forward, not on the past. You guys saved my life from a dark moment that almost happened — thank you.”
Campos encourages those who are considering donating to the VFW to do so and insisted, “Your generosity could save the life of someone else who sacrificed their mental and physical health to serve and find purpose.”
Learn more about the VFW’s Unmet Needs program.