Seabees veteran turns his darkest days into a mission to help others

When Dave McCleery tells a fellow veteran, “It’s OK not to be OK,” they can rest assured that he knows what he is talking about.The 14-year U.S. Navy Seabees veteran has lived through his fair share of dark days.In 2023, he tried to take his own life.With the support of his wife, Rebecca, and local veterans advocate Eric Peterson, McCleery checked himself into a hospital for treatment.Now, he dedicates his time to talking about mental health to everyone who will listen.“I’ve seen the darkest of dark,” he said. “I don’t want to go back to that ever again, so I preach it to everyone. It’s what I’ve given my life to.”He is a veterans service officer with the Veteran Assistance Commission of Kankakee County and the mentor coordinator for Veterans Treatment Court.McCleery enlisted in the Navy Seabees at 21 years old and served 14 years as an equipment operator before being honorably discharged in 2010.The Seabees consist of military construction battalions that build logistics infrastructur