Darrell Robinson
MC301 Contributor
Sgt. Kenyatta King, a business administration major, has experienced many challenges as a father, son, and wounded veteran of the United States Army. However, he never lost the determination to overcome them all.
King, a Compton, Calif. native, enlisted in the United States Army in 1994 at the age of 17 expecting to pursue a successful military career. He served several tours of duty that exposed him to the world in a way he never imagined. His feet traversed the terrain of France, Germany, Jordan, Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, Egypt, and Macedonia as he served alongside his fellow service members to protect the interests, freedom and people of the United States.
As he saw combat against U.S. enemies and suffered gunshot wounds, life was altered for the Californian. What he did not know that this was only the beginning of his struggles.
A December 2001 letter from the American Red Cross presented a new enemy to King. His mother was diagnosed with cancer and was in need of a caretaker.
The Army approved King for a Compassionate Reassignment. He officially relocated to Mississippi in August 2002. “When I got here to Mississippi, God blessed my mother,” King said. “I didn’t lose her.”
Doctors performed a successful surgery on King’s mother, Valerie Wilson. Shortly after the surgery, King’s son, Kapree, was born in Connecticut.
A new set of trials revealed themselves as King filed for full custody of his son. The judge granted his plea. “That’s another reason I stayed here,” King says. “I put in much work after that looking for better employment to support my family.”
Finding suitable employment was an addition to the list of struggles for King. He attained the rank of sergeant during his ten years of service but this accomplishment provided little aid in his search for employment.
“I ended up getting caught up in a struggle to support my children,” said King. “When you’re combat related, you’re just out there.”
“Sometimes you feel forgotten. It’s like the people don’t know what you’re going through,” King added. “Then we come home and get mistreated.”
Because of this, King decided to devote his life to helping combat veterans. He is pursuing a career with the federal government to do so.
“You basically leave your life; you gave Uncle Sam a commitment,” says King. “You go out there and you have to uphold your end of the agreement.”
King upheld his end of the agreement. He considers his experiences in the military as the fuel for his passion and motivation. “I’ve seen a lot of combat and I know how it affects people,” said King. “You never lose that.”
“Stay focused and keep God first.” That’s the advice Jackson State University student Kenyatta King offers on life.
King has begun to shake off the shackles of misfortune that he and other veterans have worn. He is on schedule to graduate JSU with a bachelor’s degree this spring. He has a 4.0 GPA at JSU and a 3.49 overall GPA with his transfer credit. He is also a 2014 candidate for the Purple Heart, a military decoration for those wounded or killed in action.
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