Joining the Army was one of the best—and most defining—decisions of my life. I served as an interrogator and Arabic linguist in Army Special Operations, and I’m endlessly grateful for the experiences that came with it. I deployed to Iraq and Djibouti in uniform, and later to Afghanistan as a defense contractor.
Military service wasn’t always in my sights (I was a high school cheerleader, after all), but a growing fascination with WWII history in college—sparked by Saving Private Ryan—set something in motion. When the opportunity arose to serve in the war of my generation, I didn’t hesitate. I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself.
I went into that first deployment to Iraq wide-eyed and unsure, especially as the only female in the battalion. But it turned out to be one of the most meaningful years of my life. Not because war is glamorous—it’s not—but because I felt deeply honored to wear the US flag on my shoulder, to serve, and to be trusted with real responsibility. I entered hoping to contribute. I came out transformed.
That experience pushed me so far beyond my comfort zone that I found a new version of myself on the other side—more confident, capable, and driven. The lessons I learned from my teammates still shape me today: leadership, accountability, loyalty, work ethic, humility. I also gained a powerful sense of gratitude—for the freedoms we have, for the resilience of others, and for the responsibility to do something meaningful with the opportunities we’re given.
Though I no longer serve in a Defense role, I remain deeply connected to the Special Operations community. Many of my real estate clients come from this world, and I stay involved through events like SOF Week, Rock the Green Beret, and other military-focused charities and networking circles. That first deployment created a ripple effect I never could’ve imagined—and I’m still following where it leads.
And my goal is to become THE Realtor for the SOF community. Read more about that here.
