Name: Adam Hamilton

Branch: U.S. Coast Guard

Years Served: 4

Rank: E-5

Military Occupation: Boatswains Mate

Hometown: Salisbury, NC

Twitter Handle: @AdamHamilton37

Tell us a little about you outside of the military: 

• I enjoy the outdoors and can often be found in the mountains fly fishing, hiking, camping, and/or mountain biking.
• I also enjoy woodworking and playing the guitar.
• I am married and have two teenage sons who are my world.
• I’m a huge Carolina Tar Heels, Carolina Panthers, and NASCAR fan, and love to just sit out on my back porch, relax, and watch the games/races.

Why are you joining the IAVA Cavalry? 

• I have a strong passion for helping others, particularly veterans. I served in Iraq and am familiar with the wounds and high cost of war as well as the issues veterans face when returning home.
• I believe that by serving as a part of IAVA’s Cavalry, I can use my experiences to help others who face similar issues. I also feel that it gives me a sense of purpose in my life and by helping other vets, I am also helping to heal my own personal wounds.
• I am extremely passionate about the issues that veterans face and would love the opportunity to make our voices heard to the people who make the important decisions in our government.

How did your military experience shape you to be the person you are today? 

• In the Coast Guard, I served in several leadership roles. I was a boat coxswain, federal maritime law enforcement boarding officer, unit Officer of the Day as well as other titles that required strong leadership qualities. I have carried these leadership qualities with me throughout my life and apply them daily in my life.
• I function well in high pressure situations primarily because my military experience shaped me to be that way. I am a stronger person because of my service and the challenges that I have faced after leaving the military.

Which one of IAVA’s policy priorities do you believe is the most pressing? Why?

• I feel that combatting veteran suicide is the most pressing policy priority because we lose way too many of our brothers and sisters on a daily basis to it.
• Before I began getting help at the VA, I was in a bad place and PTSD was taking a toll on my life. I even considered ending it all a few times but ended up getting the help that I needed at the right time. I would not wish that feeling on anyone and want to help anyone who may be going through it.
• Many veterans do not realize the help that is available to them and that things can get better.
• By working on other policy priorities such as allowing access to alternative therapies and modernizing the VA, we can also help to combat the high rate of suicide among veterans.

Which one of IAVA’s policy priorities do you have the strongest personal connection to? Why? 

• I have a strong personal connection to using alternative therapies to manage the symptoms of PTSD. Many of the VA’s prescribed medications do not work well and have horrible side effects. I have found that cannabis often helps me to manage the symptoms of PTSD better than anything that the VA prescribes.
• I am extremely interested in the benefits of psilocybin on treatment resistant depression, MDMA for PTSD, and other alternative therapies that have shown promise in healing our nations veterans. We need access to these alternative therapies and for our legislators to untie the VA’s hands and allow for more research on their benefits.