A tattoo on Jake Blackwelder's left forearm serves as a daily reminder of a fellow Marine who made a lasting impact on him. It reads: "Corporal Kevin Cueto USMC KIA June 2010 Afghanistan." Corporal Cueto was just 23 years old when he lost his life, killed by a roadside bomb which detonated while he was on foot patrol in Afghanistan near the Pakistani border. "He was my first team leader," recalled Blackwelder. "I remember he established good morals, read his Bible a lot, really instilled discipline in me, and taught me many tactical skills that helped us stay proficient and on the moral high ground."
Blackwelder served five years in the United States Marine Corps, including seven months of combat service in Afghanistan. After his honorable discharge in 2013, life presented a new kind of battle. He entered inpatient rehab several times to overcome drug and alcohol use. "I listened to my wife and started going to group sessions and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) sessions. It took me about 9 or 10 years of therapy. I've been working with the V-A for a very long time."
That long journey, and the support he received from the Veterans Administration, sparked a desire to help others. In the summer of 2024, he decided to take one class at Onondaga Community College to see if he could do it. He earned an "A" and became a full-time student that fall with help from Steve White, who leads OCC's nationally acclaimed Office of Veterans and Military Services. "You can come to Steve with a problem or an issue, and he will work very hard to try and solve it. Having a space like this on campus where you can come in and be with other Veterans who are trying to better themselves - it's invaluable to have something like this."
Blackwelder will complete his Human Services degree this December. He plans to continue his education as he works toward his career goal of assisting fellow Veterans. "I want to help those who have experienced trauma. My ultimate goal is to be in a position with a clinical psychology degree to work for the V-A or Congress so I can make changes from the top, so the bottom can be restructured to better fit what our Veterans need."
