The Palmer Family

Staff Sgt. Travis Palmer joined the U.S. Army in 1992. Following his initial training at Ft. Knox, Palmer was assigned to Eagle Troop 2nd Squadron 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) in Fort Bliss, Texas, where he served as an M3A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) driver.

During his time in the military, Palmer received numerous awards including two Purple Hearts, a Meritorious Service Medal, six Army Commendation Medals, an Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device, and 11 Army Achievement Medals. In February 1994, Palmer was handpicked by the Squadron Commander to be an M3A2 Bradley Gunner and two months later was promoted to corporal with only 20 months in service. In June 1997, Palmer was deployed to Germany as the squadron executive officer’s driver. After only six months, he was assigned as an M3A2 Bradley Gunner, where he received four of his Army Achievement Medals for impeccable service.

Over the next several years, Palmer was deployed to Korea and twice to Iraq before retiring after 19 and a half years in the service. Palmer suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, degenerative disk disease in c-spine, degenerative joint disease in his spine and shoulders, lumbar degenerative disk disease, and right knee degenerative joint disease.

In 2009, he underwent surgery for c-spine and, in 2010, underwent surgery for a labrum tear in his left shoulder. Currently, Palmer lives with his wife, Toniek; their daughter, Abigail; and his three stepchildren, Percy, Adara and Sebastian.