About Me

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In college I lost my faith and then became a comparative religion major.

I worked in finance and publishing for a couple of years after college and then joined the Marines.

In 2007, after my second deployment to Iraq, PTSD, moral injury and severe depression took over my life. I began trying to drink myself to death. Thoughts of suicide became common until they were a near daily presence by 2011.

In early 2012, after thoughts of suicide had evolved into plans for suicide, I began to have breakdowns. At rock bottom, a description for a circumstance I used to think cliched until I met it personally, I somehow made the right decision. I entered into therapy and stopped drinking. Minus a few days, I’ve remained sober. I also take medication.

The concept of a future is available to me again; PTSD, TBI, moral injury, depression and alcohol take that from you. It is an incredibly profound joy to once more have a life ahead of me.

More importantly, my soul, which I had kicked into a hole and subjugated years ago, is getting healthy too.

+ In February 2016 I was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury in addition to my psychological issues. In October of 2016, I received a diagnosis of neurological-cognitive disorder.

Professional Biography:

Matthew has been a Senior Fellow with the Center for International Policy since 2010. In 2009, Matthew resigned in protest from his post in Afghanistan with the State Department over the American escalation of the war. Prior to his assignment in Afghanistan, Matthew took part in the American occupation of Iraq; first in 2004-5 in Salah ad Din Province with a State Department reconstruction and governance team and then in 2006-7 in Anbar Province as a Marine Corps company commander. When not deployed, Matthew worked on Afghanistan and Iraq war policy and operations issues at the Pentagon and State Department from 2002-8.

Matthew’s writings have appeared in online and print periodicals such as the Atlanta Journal Constitution, CounterPunch, CNN, Defense News, the Guardian, the Huffington Post, Mother Jones, the Raleigh News & Observer, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. He has been a guest on hundreds of news programs on radio and television networks including the BBC, CBS, CNN, CSPAN, Fox, NBC, MSNBC, NPR, Pacifica and PBS. The Council on Foreign Relations has cited Matthew’s resignation letter from his post in Afghanistan as an Essential Document.

In 2010, Matthew was named the Ridenhour Prize Recipient for Truth Telling and, in 2021, he was awarded as a Defender of Liberty by the Committee for the Republic. Matthew is a member of the Board of Directors for the Institute for Public Accuracy, an Advisory Board Member for the Committee to Defend Julian Assange and Civil Liberties, Expose Facts, North Carolina Committee to Investigate Torture, The Resistance Center for Peace and Justice, Veterans For Peace, and World Beyond War, and he is an Associate Member of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS). He is a 100% disabled veteran and was certified by North Carolina as a Peer Support Specialist for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder.

94 thoughts on “About Me”

  1. Hello Matthew. Saw you speak at our fellow Marine Dan Ellsberg’s memorial service. I’m a 1984-88 former Infantry/Force Recon Captain living in Jacksonville, NC. Just read your resignation letter. Quite compelling. So if you’re ever on the coast (Wilmington, Jacksonville, or New Bern), glad to take you out for a meal and an undoubted good conversation. Reed M. Benet reed@herohomes.com 415-342-3634

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  3. Hi Matthew, I listen to all your wisdom on Judge Andrew Napolitano. Love the Julian Assange poster behind you. I’m ashamed to be British because of the way we have treated Julian.
    Love your insights, please keep up the good work
    Empeds

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  4. Just watched your interview with Judge Napolitano. Crikey, we need more people like you in this world. You are doing untold good… you must know that. Keep up the wonderful work

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  5. I have seen you at Dialogue Works and I think you’re tops! I have just read parts of your bio here. Did you ever think about writing a book about your experience in war & peace? I hope I’m not being foolish… Congratulations on your current stand. I wish you well..

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  6. Matt, Great job at the UN! You once had my video “To Veterans with Invisible Wounds” on your website. Here’s good news worth sharing. The veteran suicide rate has finally taught the VA a very hard lesson: they can’t do it alone. They now partner with 17,000 community organizations nationwide, & that’s just the beginning. A new VA job title, Community Engagement & Partnerships Coordinator (CEPC) will be in every VA facility by September. They absorbed my 1000 Island Veteran Support Group into their VA facilitated 3 county coalition last summer, w/Army (Fort Drum) staff, VA staff, VFW & Legion posts, private providers, & grassroots groups like ours. We cross-train & try to prevent vets falling through the cracks. I’m in uncharted waters: Emmy-winning reporter Nick Smith interviewed 14 people, including me, via Zoom from 6 states on his NewsNation show discussing veteran suicide prevention, just before that cable network hosted one of the GOP primary debates. The show is still on Nick’s web page. Promoting cross-training, I offered gratis, access to my COMBAT STRESS Magazine & the video which had been in PSYCHIATRIC TIMES. First of those who emailed me for those works was the CEPC facilitating suicide prevention for Milwaukee. Roland Van Deusen MSW, VFP since 1991, Navy vet, vandeusenn@aol.com, Clayton NY.

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