On her 17th birthday, Alexis Nelson made the selfless decision to dedicate her life to the U.S. Army National Guard. Just as her military career began, life took an unexpected turn for Nelson when she experienced a service-related injury and was discharged. Through mental health challenges, alcohol and substance use recovery and searching for a new purpose, Nelson’s journey changed after receiving recognition from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Nelson’s story is the latest in our ‘I Am a Veteran’ campaign.
While growing up in a small town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Nelson always knew she wanted to join the military. Her grandfathers served in the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps and she wanted to follow in their footsteps, but most importantly she wanted to be the first female in her family to serve. As a present to herself, she enlisted into the Army National Guard on her 17th birthday.
“I raised my hand when I was a junior in high school,” said Nelson. “I was doing something that none of my friends were, and I felt like the coolest person to walk the face of the earth at that moment.”
Nelson’s goals were to complete basic training, return to Michigan to obtain her high school diploma, move out-of-state the following year to finish Advanced Individual Training (AIT) and go on active duty.
Soon enough, Nelson went to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in May of 2013 to begin basic training. During her physical fitness test, she caught the attention of her drill sergeant after quickly maxing out both sit-ups and push-ups. The drill sergeant felt Nelson could max out on running and sent her out to begin her run.
Nelson was bursting with pride and determination as she strived to excel in her physical fitness test. However, just under a mile in the run, her life would change in an instant when her hips locked up and immense pain radiated through her body. Through agonizing pain and tears, Nelson finished the run without maxing and was sent to the athletic trainer. After multiple tests and doctor examinations, she was diagnosed with stress fractures in both hips.
“When they did the bone scan both hips just lit up like spider webs,” Nelson recalled. “I was put on crutches and since I was still in high school, I was sent back home to finish my senior year and heal.”
She spent that time completing her high school education and resting so she can return to basic training. By the time she was supposed to return to Fort Leonard Wood, her fractures had not healed enough and she was given a general medical discharge. This unexpected discharge completely altered Nelson’s life and was detrimental to her mental health.
“I came home feeling like a complete failure, embarrassed to tell my story and would cringe when someone would thank me for my service because in my head I didn’t feel as though I achieved anything,” said Nelson. “I fell into a major depression with severe anxiety, constantly feeling lost and hopeless.”
Trying to figure out a new life path and career plan, Nelson went to college to obtain a degree in criminal justice. She finished college but never pursued a career within the criminal justice system because her true passion lies elsewhere. Once again, she returned to the question of what her life was meant to be.
Nelson fell into severe depression, alcohol and substance use and she attempted suicide. It would take years for her to receive therapy and begin recovery. On Jan. 1st, 2026, Nelson celebrated three years of sobriety.
“It was a very dark time and when I was 18 years old, I felt like I went from having the whole world ahead of me to having what felt like nothing,” Nelson recalled. “This went on for several years and then while I was bartending at my local VFW, I told myself I was going to wake up on New Year’s Day sober and never look back.”
Nelson’s grandfather was previously a post member at their local VFW and she decided to work there part-time to help pick up some extra money. While working there, she often saw and chatted with Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency’s (MVAA) veteran service officer, Eric Martin. One day, she summoned the courage to sit down with him and tell her story.
“Knowing what he did for work, I finally opened up to him about my story, why I never considered myself to be a veteran and how I was even embarrassed to tell him my story,” said Nelson. “Eric was floored and told me that I need to work with him to get something, anything resolved; that’s where our journey began.”
Due to working multiple jobs, Nelson did not have much free time, so Martin worked with her schedule and frequently met with her at the VFW post. Martin made sure all documents were prepared and questions were answered.
“I didn’t have to go into his office, schedule an appointment or wait around for answers,” said Nelson. “Anytime I needed anything, he was right there.”
After working together initially, Nelson was grateful to have received a 50% disability rating from the VA. Unfortunately, her mental and physical health continued to decline and she expressed these concerns to Martin. Martin suggested a re-evaluation and soon after that, Nelson sat back down with a doctor to re-evaluate her mental health.
While driving to work one morning, Martin unexpectedly requested Nelson to come by his office. Knowing it must be something important, she quickly stopped by and anticipated the worst. As she sat down, Martin slid a letter across his desk notifying Nelson had been granted a 100% rating.
“When I saw the 100% it was something that I never thought in a million years would happen,” said Nelson. “It not only made me feel like I was actually being taken serious for what had happened, but it also opened up a lot of avenues for my life.”
Since September, Nelson has been able to step back from a tight work schedule to focus on bodybuilding, prioritizing her health and achieving her aspiration of moving out of Michigan to explore the world.
“All of these trials were like side quests to lead me to exactly where I needed to be,” said Nelson. “You’re finally able to be the person you’ve always wanted to be, and even though you know you’re not perfect yet, you’re so much better than what you were.”
“I still stutter when I call myself a veteran,” said Nelson. “However, I raised my hand and swore that oath and I want people to know that they’re not alone and their stories matter too, because I spent so long thinking that my story didn’t matter.”
