08/21/2026
As an Army cavalry scout serving in Korea, Bernard Forrest surveilled terrain and assessed key intelligence as part of a team of experts. The role required persistence and focus, qualities he tapped into as a veteran navigating brain surgery to manage seizures, homelessness and mental health diagnoses of PTSD and anxiety.
He spent much of the last year finding his way back to wellness, and in early 2026, Forrest began working with a case manager from U.S.VETS’ Staff Sgt. Fox Su***de Prevention Grant Program in Washington, D.C., and a support network including Disabled American Veterans, Veterans On the Rise and Friendship Place.
Working with advocates and using his own determination, Forrest filed a successful appeal to claim his disability status, found suitable employment, reunited with his family and his dog, and moved into a stable apartment in the city.
“My U.S.VETS case manager helped me with extra support about my housing, about my job, my disability status, and he was someone to talk to and be there for me every step of the way,” Forrest says. “I still check in with him, just to let him know I’m OK.
Now, as his 12-year-old daughter heads into a new school year, Forrest looks forward to starting a new job through the VA's compensated work therapy program in an office setting without physical demands. Forrest says his U.S.VETS case manager even shared tips with his wife, a youth counselor, on enrolling in classes this fall toward a social work degree at the University of the District of Columbia.
“It was a long journey to have my place and have my benefits and be back with my family,” Forrest adds. “For people that are going through something and need to hear another veteran, I’ve bounced back from my struggles. It wasn’t easy, but I’m doing better.”
