Air Force Combat Veteran Says Crisis Call Nearly Ended His Life!
Wed Feb 04 2026
In today's Urban Valor Podcast, Raphael Valentino Williams Jr. shares his journey from Afghanistan to policing the streets to battling PTSD, trauma, and identity loss after service. This is the reality many veterans and law enforcement officers face when the uniform comes off, but the mission mindset never does.
Raphael opens up about military service, security forces training, and the mental shift required to survive in combat — and how that same conditioning nearly destroyed him back home. From critical incident police shootings, to family court battles, to standing at the edge of suicide, this story exposes the unseen cost of service and why life after the military can be harder than deployment itself.
This conversation discusses PTSD in veterans, police mental health, and what happens when trauma goes untreated. If you’ve ever struggled with transitioning out of the military, questioned your identity after service, or felt lost after dedicating your life to something bigger than yourself — this story will hit home.
There is life after the uniform.
But no one tells you how hard it is to find it.
👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.
🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!
✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!
Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.
Chapters:
00:00 – Not Eating, Fear, and Brotherhood in Basic Training
01:15 – Growing Up Military & Identity Struggles
04:37 – Racism, Displacement, and Losing Stability
10:26 – Dropping Out & Joining the Military
16:22 – Air Force Basic Training Reality Check
23:33 – Becoming Security Forces
31:46 – From Military to Police Work
32:23 – Deploying to Afghanistan
37:07 – First Days in Kandahar
42:35 – First Convoys Outside the Wire
48:31 – Getting Shot At & Moral Injury
56:12 – Coming Home to Another War
1:00:12 – Trauma on the Streets as a Cop
1:04:35 – The Shooting That Changed Everything
1:15:05 – Aftermath, Drinking, and Spiraling
1:18:33 – VA Treatment & PTSD Recovery
1:21:03 – Losing the Badge & Identity
1:26:12 – Choosing to Live
1:32:13 – Finding Purpose After the Uniform
1:33:49 – Message to Veterans & First Responders
#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy #warstories
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In today's Urban Valor Podcast, Raphael Valentino Williams Jr. shares his journey from Afghanistan to policing the streets to battling PTSD, trauma, and identity loss after service. This is the reality many veterans and law enforcement officers face when the uniform comes off, but the mission mindset never does. Raphael opens up about military service, security forces training, and the mental shift required to survive in combat — and how that same conditioning nearly destroyed him back home. From critical incident police shootings, to family court battles, to standing at the edge of suicide, this story exposes the unseen cost of service and why life after the military can be harder than deployment itself. This conversation discusses PTSD in veterans, police mental health, and what happens when trauma goes untreated. If you’ve ever struggled with transitioning out of the military, questioned your identity after service, or felt lost after dedicating your life to something bigger than yourself — this story will hit home. There is life after the uniform. But no one tells you how hard it is to find it. 👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation. 🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well! ✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday! Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories. Chapters: 00:00 – Not Eating, Fear, and Brotherhood in Basic Training 01:15 – Growing Up Military & Identity Struggles 04:37 – Racism, Displacement, and Losing Stability 10:26 – Dropping Out & Joining the Military 16:22 – Air Force Basic Training Reality Check 23:33 – Becoming Security Forces 31:46 – From Military to Police Work 32:23 – Deploying to Afghanistan 37:07 – First Days in Kandahar 42:35 – First Convoys Outside the Wire 48:31 – Getting Shot At & Moral Injury 56:12 – Coming Home to Another War 1:00:12 – Trauma on the Streets as a Cop 1:04:35 – The Shooting That Changed Everything 1:15:05 – Aftermath, Drinking, and Spiraling 1:18:33 – VA Treatment & PTSD Recovery 1:21:03 – Losing the Badge & Identity 1:26:12 – Choosing to Live 1:32:13 – Finding Purpose After the Uniform 1:33:49 – Message to Veterans & First Responders #military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy #warstories