For Paul Gill, the fight didn’t end when he left Iraq. The Desert Storm veteran with the famed “Fighting 69th” regiment faced a new enemy at home — alcoholism, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

“We lost a lot of fellow soldiers in my unit,” Gill said. “I didn’t know how to deal with it.”

After several run-ins with the law and hitting rock bottom, Gill found hope through a counselor who was also a combat veteran at the Bronx VA. That moment, he says, changed everything.

Now, Gill dedicates his life to helping other veterans reclaim theirs — making sure they have food, shelter, and support.

His message this Veterans Day is simple: honor fallen heroes by living right and giving back.

“I want people to just say, ‘He served. He was a veteran,’” Gill says.