From Fighter to Fellow

#VeteranPeerSupport

It always hard has to write articles, or descriptions of works you do. Explaining yourself in the third person is never really delightful and never makes me feel humble at all. My name is Joe Plazyk and I am the Marketing and Public Affairs Manager for Warrior Scuba Project. If you follow our digital media, whether it be Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ you are more, or less seeing my work. I enjoy my position with the Warrior Scuba Project and being able to show the public our accomplishments is an amazing feeling. I have been separated from the US Army for a little over a year now and like others my transition has been a roller coaster of emotions and uncertainties. I am grateful that I found a University that greatly supports veterans, but I also was able to find Warrior Scuba Project. Warrior Scuba Project is providing me a way to not only continuing serving other veterans and families, and also provides me with the ability to gain professional experiences needed for employment after college. This last weekend I was accepted to another organization that is providing myself the means to continue serving, and the ability to take my position even further with the Warrior Scuba Project. The Mission Continues is a national non-profit that empowers veterans to "Return to Duty in their Community". This great organization has accepted me to participate in their fellowship program that runs for 6 months. During my 6 month fellowship I will not only be dedicated to serving Warrior Scuba Project and the veterans they assist, but I will be completing assignments and goals provided by The Mission Continues. These assignments and goals will help assist me as I transition to be a professional after college. I had the privilege and honor to partake in my Bravo Class 2015 orientation in St. Louis, MO where myself and 80+ other veterans met to find ways to continue service after military duty. We came together and rejoined a team. I am proud to have joined the team. Being a citizen leader means taking the knowledge many of have learned in service and using those skills to assist the organizations that need our help locally. Veterans are not weak, or fragile and many of us need that structure to show the nation what we are capable of. The Mission Continues provides that structure for the men and women returning from combat. We have been at war for many years now, and the men and women coming home want to keep fighting. We want to fight in a different way. We want to fight for our society here at home by helping those in need. Being a part of these organizations has not only sparked my internal warrior, but has also boosted my confidence in my decision to take off the uniform. I think about it now I didn't really take off a uniform, I have just traded in my ACU's for a different kind of uniform.

#ReportingForDuty

I want to thank those who read this short article. 

To find out more about the The Mission Continues and their multiple programs you can find them at www.missioncontinues.org

Also please stop by Warrior Scuba Project at 

www.warriorscubaproject.org 

About Joe Plazyk

Joe Plazyk is an Army veteran who is still within his first two years or transition. He currently is attending DeVry University in Addison, Illinois where he is studying to earn his Bachelor's in Sales and Marketing. He currently serves at the President of the DeVry Military Resource Club, Vice President SALUTE(National Veterans Honor Society), Warrior Scuba Project Marketing and Public Affairs Manager, and The Mission Continues Bravo Class 2015 Fellowship Program.