Identity & Community

Veterans' Stories: Project 412

00000176-e6f7-dce8-adff-f6f7713f0000Veterans' Stories: Project 412 is a series of interviews created and produced by a group of Pittsburgh-area active-duty military personnel and veterans in 2014. 90.5 WESA partnered with Leadership Pittsburgh's Community Leadership Course for Veterans to shine a spotlight on area veterans from all branches of the military, who share personal memories and stories about their service in conflicts from World War II to Iraq and Afghanistan.This project supported in part by a Seed Award from The Sprout Fund.

Ben Keen: 'You Have To Keep Moving And Keep Pushing Forward'

90.5 WESA | By Sarah Schneider

Published October 7, 2014 at 3:30 AM EDT

Ben Keen served in the U.S. Army from 1999-2008 and rose to the rank of Sergeant E-5.

While serving in Iraq he learned the leadership skills that helped him launch Steel City Vets, a support group for post-9/11 veterans.

“I think the biggest life lesson you take away is you don’t take life for granted. Things change on a dime. You can’t dwell too much on what went wrong, you have to keep moving and keep pushing forward,” he said.

Keen now serves as an IT specialist in Pittsburgh.

Keen was interviewed by CLCV team member James Yauger, a former E-5 Sergeant with the U.S. Army. Read more about Veterans' Stories: Project 412 and its participating team members.