LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- As many Americans stop to honor members of the U.S. Armed Forces on Veterans Day, one retired Marine is helping others transition to life after the military.

At first glance, a building off Oldham Court may not look like much, but Sgt. Junk It is where veterans can find a fresh start.

Ronnie Knuckles started his trash removal service four years ago. The company also aids with demolition projects as well as repairing items that are thrown away so that they can be donated to those in need, including veterans.

"Learning to be normal, I guess, is extremely difficult," Knuckles said, adding that his goal is to help others and help veterans move forward. "I went into the Marine Corps in 2009. I actually enlisted when I was 17 in '08. My mom and dad had to sign the papers."

Barely 18, Knuckles was deployed to Afghanistan.

"I just didn't want to sit in Louisville," he said. "I wanted to explore and see the world."

He served as a radio operator with a high mobility rocket artillery unit.

"You're used to living — especially in a combat unit or combat MOS — you're used to living at 100 mph," Knuckles said.

Four years later, he learned life back home runs at a slower pace.

"It can be difficult for guys, and they struggle ... to find employment or keep employment," Knuckles said.

But his company is helping change that.

"We're like 'Hey, this doesn't need to be your long-term career, but we want to be a stepping stone for you,'" he said.

And Knuckles said it's working.

"We've had probably eight that have come in, worked for us, kind of gotten level, and then they've gone on to work at better jobs," he said.

Whether helping a local family or helping in a statewide disaster like Sgt. Junk It did following the tornado in Mayfield, Kentucky, last December, Knuckles and others find common ground in their mission.

Knuckles has learned that a simple conversation can help bring former military members together.

"A lot of times, guys are not going to talk to somebody that wasn't in," he said. "That was something I wasn't really comfortable doing. ... It allowed me to kind of learn how to open the door and get these guys to come out of their shell."

And Knuckles said that goes along way in helping them heal.

"We don't have to talk about combat all the time," he said. "Let's just talk."

Knuckles hope having more conversations will help lower veteran suicide rates by reminding service members that they are not alone. 

"I guess grateful is how it makes me feel," he said. "Grateful to have the opportunity to be able to say, 'Hey, look, you can come get here, get yourself stable, then also be able to take that veteran and plug them into a group like Veterans Club where there's a whole gambit of resources.'"

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