Meet Lakeydra Houston, an Air Force veteran who shares her powerful journey from trauma to resilience. Lakeydra discusses her decision to join the military as a means of starting over, her experiences in basic training, and the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated field. She opens up about the harassment and assault she encountered, her struggles with mental health, and the coping mechanisms she adopted, including alcohol. Throughout the conversation, Lakeydra emphasizes the importance of support and resilience in overcoming adversity, ultimately inspiring listeners to seek help and connect with others.
For a full episode summary, visit The Silenced Voices of MST blog | How to Destroy An Airman in 60 Days We highly recommend visiting the blog if you find it difficult to hear stories of trauma and mental health struggles. The post gives an extensive trauma-informed overview of the episode's content, as well as a list of potentially triggering content timestamps (also listed below).

Takeaways

• Lakeydra joined the Air Force to start over after trauma that occurred in childhood..
• Basic training was a significant challenge for her, but ultimately led to a newfound sense of accomplishment and confidence in herself..
• She faced harassment and assault during her service immediately.
• Coping with alcohol, and hiding in partying with everyone else became a way to numb her pain.
• Mental health was not openly discussed in the military when she served.
• Deployment brought new gender-based challenges and experiences.
• Support from leadership made a difference in her journey.
• Seeking help and connecting with others is instrumental in traumatic situations.
• Lakeydra's story highlights the need for mental health awareness in the military.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Lakeydra's Journey

03:01 Joining the Air Force: A New Beginning

05:46 Basic Training: Overcoming Challenges

12:09 Transitioning to Security Forces

16:19 Facing Sexual Assault in the Military

21:37 Coping Mechanisms: Alcohol and Trauma

27:13 Mental Health Struggles and Deployment

28:24 Navigating Mental Health Challenges in the Military

30:29 Experiences of Deployment and Sexual Assault

32:35 The Impact of Trauma on Relationships

34:21 Returning Home to Uncertainty

36:27 Struggles with Addiction and Domestic Issues

38:17 Support Systems and Command Response

40:30 Cultural Shifts and New Deployments

40:32 Introduction to Laquidra's Story

40:32 The Impact of Trauma on Life

41:06 Resources for VA Disability Claims

Trigger Warning Timestamps

• 1:36 Mention of CSA, drug use for coping
• 3:30 - 4:56 Discussion of September 11th
• 7:36 Mentions of loss of sister
• 9:07 Mentions of loss of parent from gun violence
• 09:49 - 10:59 Discussion of harassment/ SA, at tech school as a woman in male-dominated space
• 11:26 - 22:39 detailed discussion of SA’s, childhood trauma, abuse of power, predatory leadership, male peers making light of and committing SA, trauma responses to SA, self-blame, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, pregnancy, lost lives due to lack of mental health resources, witnessing a friend take their life, SI, deployment soon after giving birth, family members that were veterans of the Vietnam War and their mental health and coping with alcohol
• 23:02 - 29:11 SA’s on deployment due to alcohol and abuse of power, feeling unable to report due to rank structure, feeling powerless to protect friends, domestic violence, gun violence, being stuck in a trauma cycle, lies and betrayal by spouse, alcohol abuse, financial abuse

Resources

1. Need help processing or want to share your story? Join our supportive community on Facebook: The Advocates of MST

2. If you’re currently working through the VA Disability claims process, download our free toolkit that helps you get the rating you deserve: Get access now

3. ☎️ SA Support for the DoD Community, contact the DoD Safe Helpline: https://www.sapr.mil/dod-safe-helpline
4. ☎️ If you are in crisis or need immediate support, call the Veterans Crisis Line: 988, then 1