If you ask me what it’s like to be a woman in the National Guard, my answer probably isn’t what you’d expect. I usually laugh and say it’s the Hannah Montana of military service. Stay with me.
As a member of the National Guard, I get to build a civilian career I’m passionate about while continuing to serve my state and country. One day, I'm leading communications strategies, collaborating with clients, and managing marketing campaigns. The next, I'm putting on the uniform, documenting military training, supporting missions through Public Affairs, and serving alongside Soldiers from every walk of life. Those two worlds might seem completely different, but they've shaped one another in ways I never imagined.
One of the biggest misconceptions about leadership is that it begins with a promotion or a title. In reality, leadership starts long before you wear stripes or assume a formal role. It starts with showing up prepared, following through on your commitments, treating people with respect, and setting an example others want to follow. Those lessons have stayed with me throughout my military career.
As a Public Affairs Soldier, leadership often happens in unexpected ways. Sometimes it means mentoring a junior Soldier before their first assignment. Other times it means capturing the story of a unit during training or helping communicate the National Guard's mission to the communities we serve. Every photograph, article, interview, or video represents real people who have volunteered to serve, and that responsibility has taught me to lead with professionalism, integrity, and empathy.
Being a woman in the National Guard has also shown me there is no single blueprint for leadership. I’ve served alongside women who are pilots, mechanics, medics, intelligence analysts, engineers, and communicators. Some are quiet leaders who build trust through consistency. Others inspire people through confidence and decisive action. Each one brings something valuable to the team, proving that effective leadership doesn't look the same for everyone
That’s one of the things I appreciate most about today’s force. Women aren't limited to one career field or one leadership style. They are leading formations, planning operations, mentoring Soldiers, and making an impact across every military occupational specialty. For many of us, leadership extends beyond drill weekends.
We’re balancing civilian careers, families, school, volunteer work, and military service all at the same time. While those responsibilities can be demanding, they've also made me a more adaptable leader. The communication skills I use in my civilian career help me tell Soldiers' stories more effectively. The resilience I've developed in uniform has made me more confident in the workplace. Even the patience I practice as a mom has influenced how I mentor and encourage others.
The National Guard has a unique way of developing leaders because it allows us to grow in more than one environment. Every experience, whether it's leading a project at work, volunteering in the community, or serving during drill weekend, builds on the last. Over time, those experiences create leaders who are comfortable solving problems, communicating with diverse teams, and stepping forward when their communities need them most.
Looking back, I’m grateful that I never had to choose between building a meaningful civilian career and serving in uniform. The National Guard has allowed me to pursue both while surrounding me with mentors, teammates, and leaders who have challenged me to grow every step of the way.
So yes, I still joke that the National Guard is the Hannah Montana of military service because I truly do get the best of both worlds, but beyond the joke is something much more meaningful. I've discovered that leadership isn't about fitting a mold. It's about using your unique experiences to serve others, lifting up the people around you, and leaving every team stronger than you found it.
For women considering the National Guard, know this: your perspective matters, your leadership matters, and there is room for you to build a career defined not by choosing between service and your ambitions, but by discovering how powerfully the two can work together.
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