Meet Maurice

When Maurice gets home, the first thing he does is put on music.

His CD player fills his apartment with whatever he’s in the mood to hear. Sometimes he'll head outside to walk through Treasure Island's parks, taking in the views of the Bay. Other days, he'll settle in with a Harry Potter book. It's a simple routine, but one that once felt impossible.

"Housing feels like safety," Maurice says. “It's a healthy thing to focus on, my own personal space. I stay out of trouble. I was able to get my degree. I feel good about myself."

At 37, Maurice has built a life he once wasn't sure he deserved.

Growing up in Alabama, Maurice joined the U.S. Army Reserve at 19, following in his father's footsteps. After spending a little time in college and working different jobs, he hoped military service would provide direction and educational opportunities.

"I wanted to serve my country and better myself," he says.

As an Automated Logistical Specialist, Maurice completed basic training in Georgia and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Lee, Virginia. He traveled on assignments to places including Washington, D.C. and Canada while balancing Reserve service with school and work.

At first, military life was everything he hoped for. Maurice recalls, "I felt like I was part of a team - something bigger than myself."

But that feeling didn't last.

Maurice says he experienced persistent racism, anti-gay harassment, and judgment within his unit. As a young Black gay servicemember during the era of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," he often felt isolated and unable to be fully himself.

"It was affecting my work and my personality," he says. "I had to be as tough as I possibly could."

The experience left lasting wounds that followed him long after he left the service. Seeking a fresh start, Maurice moved to San Francisco in his early twenties. The city's LGBTQ community and history offered something he had long searched for: the possibility of belonging.

But starting over wasn't easy.

Without an established support system in the Bay, Maurice struggled to find stable housing and relied on shelters and transitional housing while working restaurant jobs and trying to rebuild his life.

Eventually, Maurice learned about Swords to Plowshares through word of mouth. At first, he wasn't even sure he belonged. "I didn't know where I stood as a servicemember," he remembers his first visit to our San Francisco Veterans Center. "I kept walking back and forth outside before asking for help."

Everything began to change when he made the leap, accepted support, and connected with a therapist at Swords.

Receiving diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and military sexual trauma (MST) helped Maurice better understand experiences he had carried for years. Just as importantly, it helped him begin to see that his service - and the struggles that came with it - were real.

"The diagnosis gave me the affirmation to say, 'Yes, I am a veteran.'"

Therapy became the foundation for his recovery. Housing opportunities followed, including supportive housing with Swords. He moved into the Maceo May Apartments in 2023, which allowed him to finally focus on his education. Along the way he continued to participate in more therapy options and peer support groups, where hearing stories from other veterans allowed him to realize he wasn’t alone in his struggles.

"They [staff and peers at Swords] helped me learn from my mistakes. I knew I could check in with therapy, I had something to lean on. I had people to talk to."

In June 2026, Maurice earned an associate degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences from City College of San Francisco – a goal of his he had set for himself while still a servicemember. Looking ahead, he hopes to start a career in retail management and complete a bachelor's degree.

"I feel like I can get through the next 37 years without facing the same problems."

When asked what advice he’d share to other veterans, Maurice’s words are clear: "I had the idea that I needed to do everything by myself," he says. "And it didn't work."  

Instead, he encourages veterans to reach out, keep faith, and remember that they're not as alone as they may feel.

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