Army Vet and Musician Reveals How God Helps Him During Hard Times
By Movieguide® Contributor
Musician and veteran Scotty Hasting is sharing his journey from Army infantryman to recording artist.
“I always had a feeling that I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself. So in 2010, I decided to join the military,” he said during an episode of the “Jesus Calling” podcast.
After basic training, Hasting was sent to Afghanistan. In 2011, he was wounded — shot five times in the shoulder, four times in the hip and once in the thigh.
“I felt every round go through my body. I still remember very clearly what that felt like,” he shared.
Hasting survived, but after the attack, he had to rethink his plan for his life.
“The military was what I wanted to do as a career,” he said. “I fought like crazy for four years to go back. I didn’t want to not be with my guys. Unfortunately, with the injuries that I have, I was not able to continue with active service. And now, I had to try to figure out what to do next.”
Hasting continued, “After going through everything that I’ve gone through, it truly made me understand that life is precious, that every moment is precious, and that you need to live every second to the fullest. Because as I have seen, life can change very quickly. It made me understand that there’s something else that I have to do.”
Hasting eventually picked up a guitar and started writing songs, taking all the complicated emotions he was feeling and putting them into words. After performing onstage for the first time, he knew “this is what I needed to do forever.”
“My therapy is being on stage,” he explained. “My therapy is playing the songs and being lost in a moment. If I can find a way to be in a moment somewhere, that’s one of the most valuable things that I can do. And now, about eight months ago, I just signed my record deal and my publishing deal, and it’s been incredible.”
Hasting shared that the PTSD and other mental health issues that come from serving in the military will always be there, but said his “relationship with God makes it a little bit more manageable.”
“That doesn’t mean that I still don’t ask those questions, or get upset sometimes,” he said. “Our God’s big enough to where I can ask questions and where I can get upset sometimes. That’s okay. I mean, you’re allowed to do that, but just understanding that He’s there.”
Many of Hasting’s songs describe his experience as a soldier and veteran, including his latest single, “‘Til The Last Shot’s Fired,” a collaboration with Lee Brice and Dolly Parton. The single is a cover of Trace Adkins’ version of the song.
“The first time I heard ‘Til The Last Shot’s Fired,’ I was at Walter Reed,” Hasting shared on Instagram. “It was like something inside of me flipped. I started sobbing, and I couldn’t stop. At that moment, I knew that I had to live life to the fullest for my friends who would never have the opportunity to. I wasn’t going to let my injuries dictate how I lived my life or for their sacrifice to be in vain.”
In a press release about the song, he said, “This collaboration means the world to me. I’m honored that Lee and Ms. Dolly want to be a part of not only this song but also my story and my journey. My hope for ‘Til The Last Shot’s Fired,’ is that it brings peace to fellow Veterans, and their families, who are struggling.”
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