When the coronavirus pandemic took hold, the lockdowns, isolation and uncertainty triggered many veterans living with PTSD from combat. The pandemic also exacerbated issues like unemployment, housing insecurity, food insecurity and financial difficulty on top of the emotional trauma—all of which veteran Omar Columbus has experienced.
Originally from North Carolina, Omar served 12 years on active duty from 1994-2006, with assignments in South Carolina, Spain, South Korea, Japan, Greece, Germany, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Texas, Colorado Springs, and Virginia. After separating from active duty in 2006, he decided to move to New York City to build a new life that led him into poetry, the arts and advocacy. Nearly 15 years later, he looks back on all he accomplished in NYC and ahead to his new chapter in Palm Springs, California. Read more in this exclusive and poignant interview.
