Submitted | Veterans Recovery Resources is planning to renovate a blighted school building on Springhill Boulevard to create a residential recovery campus for veterans and first responders.
John Kilpatrick knows the struggle. He enlisted in the Marine Corps just out of high school and was deployed to Operation Desert Storm. He didn’t go into detail, but the aggression and brutality of that six weeks of combat in 1991 are well documented in historical texts.
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQm“(96? D@>63@5J 5@6D @C H:E?6DD6D D@>6E9:?8 :? 5:C64E 4@?7=:4E H:E9 E96:C >@C2= 4@>A2DD[ D@>6E:>6D H96? H6 86E 324<[ H6 42?’E BF:E6 C64@?4:=6 :E[” 96 D2:5 =2DE H66<] “xE 42FD6D 2== D@CED @7 AC@3=6>D H:E9 255:4E:@? 2?5 2?I:6EJ]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQmp44@C5:?8 E@ E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 '6E6C2?D p772:CD W'pX[ @?6 :? 7:G6 G6E6C2?D :D 277=:4E65 H:E9 56AC6DD:@? @C A@DE\EC2F>2E:4 DEC6DD 5:D@C56C W!%$sX 2?5 z:=A2EC:4< 25>:ED 96 H2D @?6] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQm“x DECF88=65 H:E9 2 =@E @7 E9:?8D A@DE\4@>32E 2?5 DE2J65 5CF?< 7@C 23@FE 7:G6 J62CD[” 96 D2:5] “qFE x 7@F?5 C64@G6CJ :? `hhe 2?5 92G6 366? D@36C 6G6C D:?46]” k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQmx? `hhg[ z:=A2EC:4< ;@:?65 E96 pC>J }2E:@?2= vF2C5’D ~77:46C r2?5:52E6 $49@@= 2?5 H2D 4@>>:DD:@?65 2D 4@=@?6= :? E96 |65:42= $6CG:46 r@CAD] w6 7@F?5 2 DA64:2=EJ :? 962=E9 42C6 @A6C2E:@?D[ H2D 56A=@J65 EH:46 282:? @G6C E96 A2DE a_ J62CD 2?5 H@C<65 2? `g\>@?E9 2DD:8?>6?E :? E96 !6?E28@? @? DE277 7@C E96 DFC86@? 86?6C2= @7 E96 pC>J]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQm“(9:=6 E96C6[ x 8@E E@ H@C< @? 2 DF3DE2?46 23FD6 AC@8C2> 2?5 >J A6CD@?2= 6IA6C:6?46 =65 >6 E@ E2<6 24E:@? H96? x 8@E 324< E@ |@3:=6 7C@> >J =2DE 2AA@:?E>6?E :? a_`e[” 96 D2:5] “(92E x =62C?65 H@C<:?8 2E E96 !6?E28@? :D E96 2AAC@249 E@ 255:4E:@? 2?5 DF3DE2?46 23FD6 AC@3=6>D 92D EJA:42==J 366? 2== 4=:?:42=] *@F D66 5@4E@CD[ 86E 2AA@:?E>6?ED[ E96J EC62E 2?5 E96? J@F’C6 DFAA@D65 E@ 36 4FC65] qFE :E C62==J 5@6D?’E H@C< E92E H2J]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQmz:=A2EC:4< D2:5 :? a_`c E96 'p H2D “@G6CH96=>65” H:E9 A2E:6?ED H9@D6 2:=>6?ED[ :? D@>6 42D6D[ H6C6?’E A9JD:42=] r@?8C6DD A2DD65 E96 '6E6C2?D r9@:46 p4E W'rpX[ H9:49 2==@H65 E9@D6 H2:E:?8 7@C 'p EC62E>6?E E@ D66< :E 7C@> 4@>>F?:EJ A2CE?6CD] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQm“q24< E96?[ D2J J@F ?66565 5CF8 2?5 2=4@9@= EC62E>6?E[ J@F H@F=5 H2:E D:I E@ 6:89E >@?E9D E@ 86E :?E@ E96 AC@8C2> :? q:=@I:[” 96 D2:5] “qFE H92E E96 'rp D2:5 :D[ ‘:7 J@F’C6 2 G6E 2?5 J@F 42?’E 86E 42C6 H:E9:? 2 46CE2:? 5:DE2?46 @C E:>6[ J@F D66< 96=A 6=D6H96C6]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQmz:=A2EC:4< 4@@C5:?2E65 H:E9 @E96C DE2<69@=56CD 2?5 7@C>65 E96 ?@?AC@7:E '6E6C2?D #64@G6CJ #6D@FC46D 2E ``de $AC:?89:== q@F=6G2C5 :? |@3:=6[ H9:49 AC@G:56D 2? :?E6C5:D4:A=:?2CJ C64@G6CJ AC@8C2> H:E9 E96 2DD:DE2?46 @7 2C62 5@4E@CD[ ?FCD6D[ ADJ49@=@8:DED[ D@4:2= H@C<6CD[ 4@F?D6=@CD[ 2?5 A66C DFAA@CE DA64:2=:DED] $6CG:46 :?4=F56D AC:>2CJ 42C6[ 4@F?D6=:?8[ A9JD:42= 2?5 @44FA2E:@?2= E96C2AJ[ 72>:=J DFAA@CE 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ 6?8286>6?E] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQm$:?46 E96 4=:?:4 @A6?65 :? a_`g[ z:=A2EC:4< D2:5 :E 92D D6CG65 23@FE bfd G6E6C2?D 2?5 E96:C 72>:=:6D] xE 2=D@ 42E6CD E@ 7:CDE C6DA@?56CD DECF88=:?8 H:E9 E96 D2>6 AC@3=6>D] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQm“x? >J 6IA6C:6?46[ x ?66565 4=:?:42= 96=A[ 3FE =@?8\E6C> C64@G6CJ 56A6?5D @? E96 C64@G6CJ 4@>>F?:EJ H96C6 >6>36CD 2C6 =@@<:?8 @FE 2?5 E2<:?8 42C6 @7 6249 @E96C[” 96 D2:5] “%92E’D H92E H6 =@@<65 E@ 4C62E6 H:E9 '6E6C2?D #64@G6CJ #6D@FC46D[ 2 4=:?:42= >@56= :?7FD65 H:E9 E96 :562=D @7 A66C DFAA@CE]” k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQmz:=A2EC:4< ?@E65 96 36=:6G6D E96 'p A6C7@C>D H6== H:E9:? E96 4@?7:?6D @7 =68:D=2E:@? 8@G6C?:?8 :ED D4@A6 @7 D6CG:46D[ 3FE 4@>>F?:EJ A2CE?6CD =:<6 '6E6C2?D #64@G6CJ #6D@FC46D 5@ ?@E 92G6 E96 D2>6 4@?DEC2:?ED] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQm“x7 2 G6E6C2? 5@6D?’E 92G6 2 42C @C =@DE E96:C =:46?D6 5F6 E@ 2 EC277:4 :?7C:?86>6?E[ E96 'p 42?’E AC@G:56 EC2?DA@CE2E:@?[ 3FE H6 42?] (6 42? >2<6 E6=6962=E9 2AA@:?E>6?ED 2?5 9@FD6 42==D] (6’C6 2== 23@FE C6>@G:?8 H92E6G6C 32CC:6CD ?646DD2CJ E@ 8:G6 G6E6C2?D 2?5 A2E:6?ED 4@>A=6E6 EC62E>6?E[” 96 D2:5]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQm%96 @C82?:K2E:@? 92D 366? D@ DF446DD7F=[ :E ?@H 2:>D E@ C6?@G2E6 E96 5:=2A:52E65\3FE\9:DE@C:4 D49@@= 3F:=5:?8 ?6IE 5@@C 2?5 @A6? 2? 6?E:C6 C6D:56?E:2= C64@G6CJ 42>AFD] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQm“xE’D @? E9C66 24C6D @7 =2?5 H96C6 H6 :?E6?5 E@ 3F:=5 E96 @?=J C6D:56?E:2= 56E@I 2?5 EC62E>6?E 724:=:EJ D@FE9 @7 q:C>:?892>[” z:=A2EC:4< D2:5] “$F49 2 724:=:EJ :D E96 >@DE 4C:E:42=[ FC86?E[ F?>6E ?665 :? @FC 4@>>F?:EJ] p?5 H6 2C6 4@>>:EE65 E@ 3F:=5:?8 @?6]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQm%96 @C82?:K2E:@? 92D 2=C625J C2:D65 Sc]c >:==:@? @7 E96 6DE:>2E65 Se]d >:==:@? E@ 3C:?8 E96 AC@;64E E@ C62=:EJ[ 3FE z:=A2EC:4< D2:5 E96J :?E6?5 E@ DE2CE H@C< D@@? @? DE23:=:K:?8 E96 3F:=5:?8 2?5 A6C7@C>:?8 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 232E6>6?ED] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQm~?46 4@>A=6E6[ :E H:== :?4=F56 `e 365D 7@C C6D:56?E:2= EC62E>6?E[ D:I E@ 6:89E 56E@I 365D 2?5 a_ 365D 7@C D9@CE\E6C> DFA6CG:D65 9@FD:?8] k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQm“xE H:== 36 2 Se]d >:==:@? 42A:E2= :?G6DE>6?E[ 6>A=@J:?8 dd A6@A=6 H:E9 2? 2??F2= A2JC@== @7 Sb]d >:==:@? :? E96 H@CDE A2CE @7 E@H?[” z:=A2EC:4< D2:5] “(6’C6 ?@E 96C6 ;FDE E@ 96=A :?5:G:5F2=D — H6 H2?E E@ 96=A E96 4@>>F?:EJ]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQm%9@D6 D66<:?8 EC62E>6?E >2J 4@?E24E '6E6C2?D #64@G6CJ #6D@FC46D 2E gee\ecg\fbbc] %96 @77:46 :D @A6? |@?52J E9C@F89 uC:52J[ g 2]>] F?E:= e A]>] u@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?[ G:D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^G6E6C2?DC64@G6CJC6D@FC46D]@C8QmG6E6C2?DC64@G6CJC6D@FC46D]@C8k^2m]U?3DAjk^DA2?mk^Am
kAm k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.