SERVED: Military Women’s Stories

U.S. Army Veteran Sara Potecha

Former Army Captain Sara Potecha shares her experiences of being in the third class of women to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point in her book WEST POINT WOMAN - HOW CHARACTER IS CREATED AND LEADERSHIP IS LEARNED. Sara is also a wife, mother, entrepreneur, keynote speaker and leadership consultant. https://www.sarapotecha.com/the-book/

U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Mary Beth Bruggeman

Mary Beth Bruggeman, a Marine Corps veteran and President of The Mission Continues, shares her experiences as both a midshipman and instructor at the Naval Academy, leading her unit into Kuwait and Iraq in 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom, love and motherhood, and fulfilling a continuation of service to local communities and veterans through collective action. https://www.missioncontinues.org

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. (ret) Dr. Bethany Miller

Dr. Bethany Miller shares her experiences in aviation, having retired as a pilot from the Air Force and commercially. Bethany has traveled to 85 countries and authored THE FLUX AGENTS GUIDEBOOK, which offers her unique perspective on pursuing a boundaryless career path and lifestyle. Bethany also sits on the board of the Abingdon Foundation, which offers scholarship and mentorship opportunities to young women interested in STEAM career fields. Visit Dr. Miller's website: https://www.bethanyjjmiller.com

U. S. Air Force Col. (ret) Laurel "Buff" Burkel

Laurel "Buff" Burkel, a retired C-130 navigator, passionate University of Michigan alumna, and football fan turned hockey playing fanatic, shares her journey of resiliency and community after surviving a Royal Air Force Puma HC Mk2 helicopter crash in 2015 in Kabul. Photos that emphasize Buff's experiences can be viewed on her website at https://onetuffbird.com or on her Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OneTuffBird

U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas

Dr. Kate, an adjunct professor at George Mason University's Department of Global and Community Health, behavioral medicine researcher and Master Certified Health Education Specialist, shares her research in evidence-based mental fitness. Dr. Kate has authored over 100 scientific publications and presentations, including her latest book STOPPING MILITARY SUICIDES: VETERAN VOICES TO HELP PREVENT DEATHS, which she co-authored with fellow Marine Corps veteran Sarah Plummer Taylor. https://dockate.com 

U.S. Army Colonel Kay Wakatake

Kay Wakatake, the Staff Judge Advocate for the Army Medical Command at the Pentagon, shares her experiences of attending Airborne school, deploying to Iraq, balancing work and personal responsibilities, and leveling the playing field both physically and intellectually while stationed at an infantry division overseas.

U.S. Army Veteran Vicki Jordan

Vicki Jordan shares how her love for languages led her from Nebraska to the Army's Defense Language Institute in California, where she excelled in Russian and met her husband. Vicki also served as the Chief of Staff of the Operations Directorate at the NSA, and shares the importance of leadership, teamwork and communication in the evolving digital age of cyber intelligence and security.

U.S. Navy Veteran Nicole Katz

Nicole Katz shares her experiences of being hazed, to lapses in leadership, all while striving for excellence, graduating at the top of her class, and being empowered with tremendous responsibility while serving at TOPGUN. Nicole also shares how animal rescue benefited her life, and how she parlayed her military background into a career as an actor, voice-over artist and stunt performer in Hollywood. https://kittenrescue.org/. https://www.margulisvoices.com

U.S. Air Force Veteran Jodi Lynn Jordan

Jodi Lynn Jordan shares her story from small-town life in Georgia to serving alongside the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, deploying to Saudi Arabia, shining in the stage lights of the competitive fitness world, Autism awareness, juggling motherhood and grad school, and how a conversation with a dying friend inspired entrepreneurship and new career pursuits. https://crossfitalgiers.com/about/meet-the-coaches

U.S. Army Veteran Denise High

Persian Gulf War veteran and Bronze Star recipient Denise High shares her journey of growing up as a Navy "brat", pivoting careers as a civilian and as a recruit, unifying under pressure at wartime, a surprise multilingual romance, and reinvention during a military drawdown.