Veteran Story: Casey McCabe

Casey McCabe

Courtesy Casey McCabe

Hailing from Silver Spring, MD, McCabe joined the U.S. Army after watching 9/11 unfold with her classmates. “I always wanted to join the military, and after 9/11, I knew I would,” she said. “Children should go to sleep at night feeling safe, knowing guardians—American soldiers—are watching over them.”

While serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, McCabe served as a communications property manager, working with radios, computers, antennas and the like. She installed radios in vehicles to prepare them for missions and destroyed sensitive military documents in burn pits. “The skills I learned while in the military helped pave the way for my career in the National Park Service,” McCabe said.

After starting as a Pathways intern with the National Park Service in 2015, McCabe’s veteran status helped her land a permanent position as a contract specialist. However, she is still an important part of the veteran community, going above and beyond to help other veterans in the Department of Interior.

McCabe is the second female president for the Department of Interior Veterans Group, volunteering her time and energy to assist DOI veterans with employment, disability and other issues. She publishes a newsletter with over 3,000 subscribers. Her desire to help others is rooted in her own experience as a survivor of Military Sexual Trauma and domestic violence.

Casey McCabe and son

Courtesy Casey McCabe

“Five years ago, I was homeless with a small child,” she said. “After a month in a women’s shelter and several months couch surfing, I managed to escape an abusive marriage and turn my life around.”

Since then, McCabe has become a strong advocate for women veterans. In 2017, McCabe was a Ms. Veteran America top 25 finalist. During the competition, she helped raise awareness for homeless women veterans and raised funds for a non-profit organization that provides transitional housing, career counseling, financial assistance, and more to women veterans and their children in the Washington area. She is also involved in a private Military Sexual Trauma group on Facebook that encourages women to share their stories in a safe environment and provides other assistance.

Her own struggles with mental health issues have led her to advocate for wilderness therapy. “I have found healing in the outdoors. Simply getting outside, immersing yourself in nature, taking a walk, connecting with our public lands has many positive benefits to a person’s mental health.”

What’s McCabe’s message to other veterans and trauma survivors? “It’s okay to feel broken. The important thing is to not give up. Life goes on. Sometimes you have to battle with yourself to do something new, and the trauma I experienced is helping me win that battle.”