SOCRS089- Lani Hankins- "Kruse Corner: Where Nobody Fights Alone"

Lani Hankins (In Her Own Words):

I grew up in a small town on the Central Coast of California, and was the youngest of two kids. My father, a Vietnam veteran, worked for a company that specialized in metal coil and paper roll restoration, while my mother worked in human resources. Prior to joining the Army, I was enrolled in the Fine Arts program at the local community college. Shortly after completing my associate’s degree, I was sent to Fort Jackson, South Carolina for Basic Combat Training (BCT), followed by Fort Lee, Virginia for Advanced Individual Training (AIT) where I was trained as an Automated Logistical Specialist (92A).  I was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, where I worked as a supply and dispatch clerk for the 1^st Squadron, 4^th Cavalry Regiment, 4^th Brigade Combat Team. During my time in 1-4 CAV, I was a member of the Female Engagement Team (FET) and completed one combat deployment to the Paktika Province of Afghanistan. In February of 2015, I transitioned to the Army Reserves where I continued to serve as a 92A in Cape Coral, Florida.

I decided to leave the Army after 6 years to continue my education with the Post-9/11 GI Bill. While working on my master’s degree, I was given the opportunity to address veteran suicide and communication problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs. My capstone project inspired me to start a blog where I could continue to bring awareness to veteran suicide and veteran health care issues. Today, the Kruse Corner blog is where I share personal stories about life in the Army, the transition from soldier to civilian, and my struggles with mental health. My mission has been to encourage other veterans to reach out and share their own story to take action against veteran suicide and end the stigma attached to mental illness.