Where did you serve and what did you do?

I served in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as well as at Fort Leavenworth here in Kansas. While in Cuba, I was a 31E Internment Resettlement Specialist and I also did that for two years at the United States Disciplinary Barracks here at Fort Leavenworth. I changed Military Occupational Specialties and became a 42A Human Resources Specialist for four years at Fort Leavenworth, KS.

BCareer Duty Stations: Fort Sill, Oklahoma- BCT / Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri- AIT (31E)/ Cuba (31E)/ Fort Leavenworth (311E)/ Fort Jackson, South Carolina (42A ) AIT and then Fort Leavenworth (42A).

How are you #StillServing?

I serve as the Post Adjutant at VFW Post 56 where I also am a member of MOC. I am the Assistant Den Leader for my stepson’s Scout Pack out of Ottawa, Kansas and I get to help veterans by working at the VFW National Headquarters with the Unmet Needs Program.

Why do you do it?

I still serve for several reasons. The first is that no one can take care of my veterans like me. I felt like this when I had my unit soldiers to take care of when I was in active duty. Just because I wear a different uniform doesn’t mean we stop looking out for and taking care of each other.

Secondly, I come from a long line of veterans. It was instilled in me when I was young to have respect for our veterans. My husband, sister, father, uncles, grandfathers and father in-law all served and we want to honor their service and sacrifice of selfless service by continuing to do so and teaching our son to do that as well. It really felt good when we took our then 7, now 8-year-old out to Leavenworth National Cemetery and he planted flags at the graves. I asked him why we did it and his answer made me know that he gets how important our veterans are. He looks forward to doing it again even.

Lastly, I still serve because if we won’t stand up for ourselves and our battles why do we think anyone else would? We have to be the voice for those who can’t and for those that will come so that whatever struggles previous and current generations face they don’t continue in the future.