<\/a>Darrell Robinson
\n<\/strong>MC301 Contributor<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.\u00a0 He served several tours of duty that exposed him to the world in a way he never imagined.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The Army approved King for a Compassionate Reassignment. He officially relocated to Mississippi in August 2002. \u201cWhen I got here to Mississippi, God blessed my mother,\u201d King said. \u201cI didn\u2019t lose her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctors performed a successful surgery on King\u2019s mother, Valerie Wilson. Shortly after the surgery, King\u2019s son, Kapree, was born in Connecticut.<\/p>\n

A new set of trials revealed themselves as King filed for full custody of his son.\u00a0 The judge granted his plea.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s another reason I stayed here,\u201d King says. \u201cI put in much work after that looking for better employment to support my family.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI ended up getting caught up in a struggle to support my children,\u201d said King. \u201cWhen you\u2019re combat related, you\u2019re just out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes you feel forgotten. It\u2019s like the people don\u2019t know what you\u2019re going through,\u201d King added. \u201cThen we come home and get mistreated.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou basically leave your life; you gave Uncle Sam a commitment,\u201d says King. \u201cYou go out there and you have to uphold your end of the agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n

King upheld his end of the agreement. He considers his experiences in the military as the fuel for his passion and motivation. \u201cI\u2019ve seen a lot of combat and I know how it affects people,\u201d said King. \u201cYou never lose that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStay focused and keep God first.\u201d That\u2019s the advice Jackson State University student Kenyatta King offers on life.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s degree this spring. He has a 4.0 GPA at JSU and a 3.49 overall GPA with his transfer credit.\u00a0 He is also a 2014 candidate for the Purple Heart, a military decoration for those wounded or killed in action.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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