Life after service: A Veteran’s Day message from Sen. Elkins

Trampus Miller lost a leg to an improvised bomb in Iraq in 2008. His recovery at Walter Reed Medical Center took three and a half years and more than 100 surgeries. Later, he attended a deer hunt through Jason’s Box, a nonprofit in nearby Paris, Kentucky, that provides severely injured veterans with free outdoor activities. Miller recalled “just realizing you’re not alone” during that first hunt. He stayed on as a volunteer and now helps coordinate activities for other veterans. What stands out about Miller’s story isn’t simply what he overcame. It’s what he chose to do afterward. Through his involvement with Jason’s Box, he found a way to help other veterans experience the same sense of friendship and belonging that meant so much to him. That’s a lesson worth remembering as we observe Veterans Day. Across central Kentucky, veterans are our neighbors, co-workers, business owners, teachers, and friends.

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