Kristen Grigsby

Posted on 18. Dec, 2009 by john in VGJ's Veteran Staff

What is your role at VGJ?
I am the new Development Officer and will be focusing on fundraising initiatives, with an emphasis on a major gifts campaign in 2010. I am very excited to be here and look forward to being a part of our growth. Our mission resonates with me.

Where were you stationed overseas?
While in college, I was in the National Guard in Indiana, and was deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan for a year, from 2004 to 2005. I was a towedartillery and small weapons specialist, and while in Kabul I specifically worked on the United Nations Afghan New Beginnings Program, essentially recycling and repairing old Soviet-style weapons, recording serial numbers, and distributing them to the Afghan National Army.

Kristen while stationed in Afganistan.

How did that experience affect your perspective on life?
I came home very frustrated with the typical American consumer lifestyle and attitude and mental laziness toward the wars. Afghanistan is the fourth poorest country in the world, and the most heavily land mined. Life for Afghans carries more hardship than you can conceive. I will always be affected by the state of Afghanistan and its people. Upon my return I decided to major in nonprofit management and use it as a platform for creating change and making a positive impact on my community.

What are your hopes for the “green economy”?
I hope that the green economy continues to grow and be supported by investments, public policy, and communities across America. I believe it can give new hope for Americans with respect to fostering greater responsibility toward one another and restoring economic prosperity.

What are your hopes for veterans of America?
I hope veterans will be enabled to continue to serve our country long after they come home from overseas, and be met with training and educational opportunities that prepare them for the emerging changes in our economy in a supportive environment.

How does VGJ inspire you?
I am a veteran with a degree in nonprofit management and environmental studies, so there is an obvious connection there. I have been following VGJ since 2008 and am happy to have found the right time to join the staff and start contributing my skills. I believe in the power of meaningful work as a restorative act to our returning veterans, and I understand the difficulties associated with assimilating back into American life after war. It gives me great satisfaction to be a part of an organization that offers veterans a chance to use their service ethic in a new kind of service to our country.