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Monday, September 22, 2014

Iraq Veteran From Stop Loss to Nashville

Iraq War veteran's inspiring journey from front lines to 'Nashville'
FOX News
By Hollie McKay
Published September 22, 2014

LOS ANGELES – Melvin Kearney may be best-known for playing Hayden Panettiere’s bodyguard Bo on the hit ABC series “Nashville,” but as a two-time Iraq combat veteran, his story away from the cameras is even more moving and drama-filled.

“I grew up as an Army brat, my dad was my hero and I saw the sense of pride that came over his face every time he put on that uniform,” Kearney told FOX411. “I knew that was what I wanted to do. I thought I would just be guarding a base near my college in North Carolina, but halfway through basic training 9/11 happened.”

Kearney deployed to Iraq in 2003, and lost a number of close friends on the battlefield. His plan was to finish college and become a U.S. Marshall after returning, but as he was walking to the stage on college graduation day, he received a call from the Army: “Kearney, its Stop Loss. You’re going back to Iraq.”

Stop Loss was a policy that extended one’s military contract, which the Pentagon ended in 2011. From 2001 to 2009, an estimated 120,000 soldiers were affected by stop loss.
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