Military Sexual Trauma & PTSD Healing at Emory's Warrior Care Network, Tonya Oxendine, CSM, USA, Ret

She joined military service for safety and security but found much of the same trauma she faced at home.

Tonya Oxendine, United States Army Command Sergeant Major, Retired, shares her story of resilience and healing from Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at Wounded Warrior Project's Warrior Care Network® center at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

For more stories of service, please visit Veteran Voices.

For information about treatments for PTSD and brain injury, please visit The Treatment Hub.

Posted on BrainLine May 13, 2022. Reviewed May 13, 2022.

Produced by Mandana Tadayon

About the author: Tonya Oxendine

Tonya Oxendine joined the United States Army a year after finishing high school. Unfortunately, she was raped in basic training and endured years of sexual harassment and assault thereafter. During Tonya’s last deployment in Afghanistan, it started to take a toll on her mentally. Tonya sought help for her PTSD through the Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) Talk program and Emory Healthcare — part of the WWP Warrior Care Network®. Today, Tonya’s passion is helping other veterans realize they, too, can overcome PTSD. “Knowing that somebody had my back — that I was supported and somebody cared — that's why I'm still here.”

 

Tonya Oxendine smiling in a blue Wounded Warrior Project polo