I Couldn’t Fix the Problems From Inside. To Be Part of the Solution, I Had to Leave.
I still have nightmares about my service. Some are about those I couldn’t save; others are about toxic leaders who drove good servicemembers away.
About Kirsten Laha-Walsh
Kirsten Laha-Walsh is a former Navy hospital corpsman and third-generation sailor. Following her military service, Kirsten began pursuing her Ph.D. in social work research at the University of Alabama with a focus on military and veteran issues, including opioid use. She is an Elizabeth Dole Caregiver Fellow for Alabama, a HillVets and Wounded Warrior Project Fellow alumnus, and an advocate for veterans, particularly women and LGBTQ+ veterans. She lives with her spouse, a Purple Heart combat Marine veteran undergoing gender transition, and their three dogs.
