ETTRICK, Va. — Tony Durham Jr. will walk across the stage at Virginia State University this Saturday to receive his master's degree in Counselor Education, marking a milestone in a journey that began with military service and led through personal struggles to academic achievement and published authorship.

The 40-year-old father of five served 12 years in the U.S. Army, deploying to Iraq three times. During one deployment, Durham earned a Purple Heart when his vehicle was hit by an RPG.

"Sometimes I feel like I didn't deserve it, because I know people that died over there deserve it more," Durham said.

Durham's military service left him with trauma that he initially didn't seek help for, viewing it as a sign of weakness. Instead, he self-medicated before realizing he needed professional

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