Tracy Worsley

My name is Tracy Worsley. I was born and raised in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. Dad was a steelworker and Mom was a dress maker. Graduated from Penn State University and joined the United States Air Force. First 10 years I was a Security Police, now called Security Forces. Second half of career was in Nuclear Biological and Chemical Defense and disaster preparedness. Was deployed several times; Cuba for Operation Sea Signal which involved repatriating and managing maximum security prisoners during the Cuban Migration in 1995. Deployed twice to Kuwait in support of Desert Fox after inspectors were removed from Iraq. Final deployment was to Kirkuk Air Base at the tip of the Sunni Triangle in 2004 after the main invasion of Iraq. During my career I finished 3 Associated degrees and two master’s degrees. I retired at the end of 2004. I was a trained for medical responders and practitioners for the University of North Dakota teaching chemical, biological, explosive and nuclear response. I also worked in Public Health for Clay County Minnesota. I have worked for Minnesota State as the Emergency Preparedness and Security Specialist for the system at large since 2007. I am married and have 8 children and 10 grandchildren between my wife and I and we have a robust and high energy 3-year-old at home who is our pride and joy. I have worked with obviously thousands of veterans and been a member of several veterans organizations. Although 70% service connected disabled I really avoided claiming any PTSD because I knew so many others who suffered terribly because of their service. I never wanted to admit that I could be one of them. In addition to my military service I have suffered several other life traumas but again never really added them up to possible PTSD. Working with my wife and dealing with all of the professional and personal traumas has made me re-evaluate my own status as a sufferer and am now seeking some assistance with dealing with it all. Having just recently lost a senior dog I already know how much, even as untrained as she was, she was an absolute comfort and in her own way assisted me more than I did her. Thank you for considering me worthy and I am looking forward to our new addition to our family.