The following is our first submission targeted for for US military veterans who are interested in hearing from other veterans and available services. This is the Mid-Hudson News inaugural installment of “Veterans Corner” submitted by Alyssa Carrion, Director of Veterans Programs for MHA Dutchess Vet2Vet. Carrion is a veteran of the US Army, where she received numerous awards and recognitions.
Mid-Hudson News is honored to provide a space to personnel from recognized veteran service organizations to address issues affecting our heroic warriors. Organizations interested in providing submissions can send requests to bender@midhudsonnews.com with “Veterans Corner” as the subject line.
Twenty years ago this May, I threw my white cap in the air with 900ish of my classmates and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army. Four years before that, a wide-eyed 17-year-old kissed her parents and walked across Michie Stadium for R-Day.
The beginning of my time at West Point was full of lots of pushups. When I started in 2000, women had only been allowed in the academy for 24 years, with the first women graduates walking in 1980. It was an interesting four years.
I majored in Spanish and Portuguese with no real idea of what I would do with this degree. I was lucky enough to be high enough ranked in my class to get both my first choice of branch (Military Police) and Post (Germany – that I later traded with a classmate for Fort Lewis).
I served 5 years active duty, deploying with my platoon to Egypt. After my platoon leader time, I moved to a Logistics Battalion to fill their Military Police slot and later was promoted both to Captain and to the Operations Officer position. I returned to my MP roots and served as the Battalion Executive Officer for the prison battalion at Fort Lewis as my last active-duty assignment. I then transitioned into the reserves. I served as a personnel officer, operations officer, special projects officer, and company commander in various units in both Connecticut and Washington.
While in the reserves, I went back to school and earned a Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Washington. By this point, my children were small, and I was ready to spend some time being a mom, so I left the reserves and we moved to Port Angles, WA. In 2016, I packed up my kids and moved 3000 miles home to New York. I took a job at a small local bank and spent four miserable years without a purpose. In March of 2020, I quit my job and applied for the Vet2Vet Program Specialist position at Mental Health America Dutchess County (MHADC). I have since worked in Vet2Vet, HERO, and our SSG Fox Programs before taking over as the Director of Veterans Programs in July of 2023.
I love what I do, and I love the team I work with. I come to work every day and know that this team will do everything they can to support any Veteran who comes through our doors and will find new and interesting ways to encourage more Veterans to become involved with our programming. Our Housing Team, led by Sharone, housed or kept housed over 70 Veterans last year alone.
Our Employment Program, led by Joe, found employment for over 40 Veterans. And Gloria, leading our SSG Fox Suicide Prevention Program was able to enroll over 150 Veterans into services like art therapy, equine therapy, music therapy, reiki, and meditation.
If you are a Dutchess or Orange County Veteran who needs help, reach out. Our team is here to help.
** Editor’s note – Veterans or family members who want more information on MHA Dutchess Vet2Vet programs can contact them by phone at 845-473-2500, ext. 1367 or by email at veterans@mhadutchess.org. No referral is necessary.
