Michael Ramos

Name: Michael Ramos
City/State: Schenectady, NY
Branch of Service: Marine Corps
Years of Service: 5
Last Rank Held: E4
Military Occupation: Logistics
Current Occupation: Chief Executive Officer
X: TBD
Instagram: TBD
Facebook: TBD

Michael outside of the military:

I’m the Chief Executive Officer of a government contracting company, and I stay actively engaged in civil and community-based efforts. When I’m not working or otherwise engaged, I’m usually painting, reading, gardening or spending time outdoors. Nature has become a form of therapy for me. It has been a way to reset and recharge, and one day, I hope to share that experience with other veterans as an alternative path to healing.

Michael on joining the IAVA Cavalry:

Since my time in the Marine Corps, I’ve naturally gravitated toward leadership roles and a life of service. Joining the IAVA Cavalry is a way for me to continue both, by using my experience and skills to advocate for and support my fellow veterans. Just as I serve my community, I see this as an opportunity to stand up for those who’ve served and help drive meaningful change on their behalf.

How the military experience affected Michael’s personal growth:

My time in the Marine Corps has been a defining force in my life. While it wasn’t always the experience that my recruiter sold me on, it taught me how to thrive in adversity, remain calm under pressure, and adapt quickly when circumstances shift. There have been several times in my civilian life where I’ve felt backed into a corner, but instead of breaking down, I leaned on the resilience and resourcefulness I developed in the Corps to find solutions and keep moving forward. The Corps also instilled in me the importance of patience, flexibility, and leading by example, traits that continue to guide me personally and professionally.

IAVA’s policy priorities that are the most pressing:

I believe protecting democracy is the most pressing priority. As Americans, we benefit from the freedoms that come with living in a democratic nation. Freedom of speech, religion, and the ability to express ourselves without fear of censorship or oppression. These liberties are often taken for granted, but if our democracy were to weaken or collapse, we risk losing not only our individual rights but the very foundation of what makes this country what it is. Our democracy safeguards the inalienable rights our nation was built on and protecting it should always be a top priority, especially for those who’ve fought to defend this country and all that it stands for.

IAVA’s policy priorities with the strongest personal connection for Michael:

As a service-disabled veteran, I understand the value of alternative therapies on a very personal level. Traditional treatments don’t always work for everyone, especially when it comes to both the seen and the unseen wounds many of us carry. In my own experience, some of the most meaningful steps toward healing have come through non-traditional paths. Whether that’s spending time in nature, creative expression, or simply finding space to decompress outside of a clinical setting.
The reality is that many of us veterans are navigating systems that don’t always meet our needs, because we’re not monolithic. Healing isn’t linear, and it isn’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why I feel it’s so important to increase awareness and access to alternative therapies. We don’t need to try to reinvent the wheel and replace existing methods of treatment. What we do need, however, is to broaden the spectrum of what healing can look like.