Darren Ripley

TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Passamaquoddy Tribe at Motahkmikuk

PANEL: Honoring 250 Years of Wabanaki Veterans

BIOGRAPHY
Darren Ripley is combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom II from the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Motahkmikuk, and fifth-generation Purple Heart recipient, having served in the U.S. Army. He also graduated from Husson University in 2016 with a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration. Prior to working with veterans, he primarily spent his time in the criminal justice and social services fields. For the last four years, he has worked as an advocate for our Wabanaki veterans, has brought Veteran Service Officers from the Dept. of VA and Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services to our rural tribal communities for veterans to enroll in VA healthcare, file claims related to service-connected injuries, as well as other benefits and programs the veterans may qualify for. He has also been researching and documenting our Wabanaki veterans’ military experiences and stories, working to preserve their history within our tribal communities, and share their contributions and sacrifices to a larger audience outside our communities, because Indigenous history is American history. In his free time, he enjoys canoeing, camping, traveling to concerts and music festivals across the country, playing guitar and bass, training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and coaching wrestling.