From Crack to Colonel: How a retired veteran overcame addiction to serve 30 years
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - For soldiers, being called up to war is often a given. But for retired Colonel Willette Alston-Hockady, her most challenging war started long before she rose through the military ranks—and it was a deeply personal battle.
Alston-Hockady’s storied career ultimately placed her on the front lines of history, serving in some of the country’s most top-secret buildings and rub shoulders with prominent figures and celebrities, including actress Phylicia Rashad.
“We get to meet all the celebrities,” Alston-Hockady recalled. “I never thought I would be at the Pentagon.”
But long before those high-profile assignments, her career was almost over before it truly began.
Surviving Desert Storm
In 1991, Alston-Hockaday was serving in the National Guard during Desert Storm, witnessing the harsh realities of war firsthand.
“I happened to look up, and as I looked up, you had a missile coming to the hospital where I was, and a Patriot [missile] came and just took it out of the sky,” she said.
Yet, surviving Scud missiles on the battlefield was not her biggest fight. Her most dangerous conflict awaited her back home, introduced by someone close to her—the father of her son.
“He introduced me to crack cocaine.”
The Turning Point
The introduction sparked a devastating addiction that gripped Alston-Hockaday for years. Her path to recovery finally came when she checked into rehab, prompted by a heartbreaking plea from her young son.
“My baby cried, and he was like, ‘don’t leave me,’” she said. “And I mean, to hear him, my heart just skipped a beat.”
Driven by her son’s words, Alston-Hockaday stayed in treatment for 30 days. Armed with a renewed focus, she enrolled in college, earned her commission as an officer, and spent the next three decades serving her country.
“I couldn’t ask for a better career,” she said.
A Legacy of Truth and Recovery
Today, Alston-Hockaday is paying her journey forward. She now teaches future soldiers, refusing to hide the struggles of her past from her students.
“One of my students said, ‘So Colonel, you were on crack?’ and I was so tickled,” Alston-Hockaday shared. “I turned my back, and I turned back around and I said, ‘Yes, a long, long time ago.’”
Her remarkable life story is now detailed in her new book, From Crack to Colonel. Through her writing, she hopes to share a universal message: addiction knows no boundaries.
“My dad was a preacher, my mom was a schoolteacher. So, it just didn’t matter,” Alston-Hockaday said. “It doesn’t matter what background you come from—you can come from a rich background; you can come from a poor background.”
Ultimately, she wants her story to prove that no matter how difficult the circumstances, it is never too late to change direction.
“Don’t let your circumstances dictate your future,” she said. “I just want people to read the book and let them know they can overcome anything.”
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