Megan Byers

Megan Byers’s 20-year journey as a veteran caregiver has shaped her deep commitment to mental health. In addition to caregiving and raising her children, she made the intentional decision to return to school and pursue a career as a licensed professional counselor. In 2025, she graduated magna cum laude from Liberty University and is now enrolled in the Clinical Mental Health Master’s program at the University of North Texas.  

Two decades before Megan earned her undergraduate degree, her husband Brandon enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. The following year, Brandon deployed to Camp Bucca, Iraq where he served as a .50-caliber turret gunner assigned to an Area Security Operations Unit.  

On October 16, 2006, after securing a convoy route near Camp Bucca, Brandon was injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated beside his vehicle. Positioned in the turret of the Humvee, he was especially vulnerable to the blast. In the years that followed, Brandon endured years of surgeries as part of his recovery. Today, Brandon is an above-the-knee amputee with limited use of his right hand and manages chronic pain related to his physical injuries, along with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

For Megan, caregiving has been a journey that was shared by the entire family. When Brandon required a leg amputation several years after his initial injury, the family adopted the phrase, “Team Byers” as a reminder to stay grounded in gratitude and unity despite the challenges they faced.  

By nurturing this hopeful outlook, Megan has watched her kids develop resilience through adversity. She shares, “My children have developed a deep empathy and passion for serving those who are disadvantaged and in need of support. They are the first to jump in when someone is hurting or in need.”  

Now that she and Brandon are approaching the transition to an empty nest, Megan has joined the Dole Caregiver Fellowship to build bridges between caregivers and promote available sources of mental health support.