Ryan McKenna -- Fellow

Ryan McKenna was in his senior year of high school when the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, occurred.  

That prompted his enlistment in the U.S. Army and he attended basic training in July 2002, shortly after his graduation.

A member of the Airborne Infantry, McKenna was deployed to Afghanistan in 2003 and Iraq in 2004.

He learned about the Wounded Warrior Program from his Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor at the Department of Veterans Affairs.  He was hired to work for Congressman Joe Courtney of Connecticut as a veterans case worker in August 2013. The photo is of McKenna, Rep. Courtney, and a veteran for whom he obtained the father’s WWI Purple Heart.

McKenna will tell you there are no typical days when he is doing outreach in the community, noting that while some cases are more difficult than others all the work is rewarding.

Since January, McKenna has helped Rep. Courtney’s constituents obtain more than $300,000 in overdue benefits.  He said he loves the work and “this opportunity came at a time when I needed direction in my life.”