President Donald Trump signed an executive order recently to increase research into psychedelic therapies. As a combat veteran and former Army Ranger serving my country in Iraq and Afghanistan, this is welcome news. After fighting for the United States, I had to leave it to get effective treatment for the invisible wounds I brought home. The treatment I received in Mexico with the psychedelic ibogaine was life-changing. My fellow veterans, as well as other Americans who could benefit, should be able to access psychedelic therapies safely and locally. This effort is long overdue, and we need to move forward with both care and urgency.
TRUMP’S IBOGAINE EXECUTIVE ORDER IS A BIG STEP TO SOLVE GENERATIONAL THREAT
I was born in Greenwood, Mississippi, to a family where service runs deep. My grandfather served as an Army medic in the Pacific during World War II, and that legacy shaped how I see service and my responsibility to my family and community. I initially joined the Mississippi Army National Guard, but after Sept. 11, 2001, I wanted to do more and became an active duty Army Ranger, eventually serving as a sniper team leader.
After five deployments and over 200 missions, I was injured and unable to return to combat. After I was medically retired, I missed the team environment and the people I had served alongside. I struggled to find purpose and began suffering from depression and migraines. But I did what I was supposed to do and kept moving forward, living a life that looked solid on the outside. Continuing my education, I earned degrees from Columbia University and later an MBA from the University of Miami. But like many combat veterans, I came home carrying more than I expected.
