Leading into the mission in Iraq, Jessica was the noncommissioned officer in charge of the (machine) gunners and proud of being trusted with this responsibility; however, upon arriving in country, her leadership determined she would not be permitted to perform her duties as a .50 cal gunner protecting the team’s daily combat patrols. Of note, only she and one other female gunner were removed from these duties, though that was not publicly acknowledged. Jessica, tenacious as she is, fought this discrimination until eventually accepting that she was alone in the fight and, as a SSgt, didn’t have the means to win the argument to fulfill her duties despite being highly capable. While this discrimination was not the first nor last Jessica would experience, it was the most apparent and impactful on her identity as a leader. As a result of the denial of her position as a gunner, a young Airman, Jason Nathan, volunteered to step into the role despite not having the opportunity for the additional pre-deployment training afforded to pre-identified gunners. On 23 June 2007, “Nate” was killed in action by an improvised explosive device. His faith in his unit and mission never waivered, and the loss devasted the team.

The combat loss, and the belief that her lack of action to right a wrong led to the circumstances of his death, rocked Jessica’s self-worth, faith in her leaders, and commitment to the Air Force to her core. The PTSD and survivor’s guilt weighed her down to such depths that she damaged relationships, hid behind alcohol and adrenaline-fueled risks, and nearly left the Air Force at the termination of her enlistment. Thankfully, enough people around her - those she hadn’t scared off with her demeanor and behavior - were willing to see past the anger and grief and pushed her to get help. Help came in the form of an opportunity to instruct professional military education - largely removed from discriminatory practices in her primary career field, clinical therapy (after many attempts, finally finding a good fit), and “therapy” from the four-legged community of dogs and horses. With space to reflect on what serving meant to her and whether she still believed in the cause, Jessica answered those questions with a resounding hell yes in her spirit and a galvanized purpose to lead in such a manner that no one would stand alone, as she felt she had, in the face of wrongdoing or mistreatment. She recommitted with a personal oath to honor Nate’s sacrifice and all of our nation’s fallen heroes, uphold the values of her Air Force, and demand others do the same - unapologetically staying true to her convictions and passion for taking care of people. Jessica went on to marry the love of her life and fellow Veteran, Patrick, and serve with distinction as a First Sergeant for three years. Afterward, she returned to Security Forces and was honored with the opportunity to be a Defender Chief, serving twice at the unit level before culminating her career as Command Chief Master Sergeant at Prince Sultan Air Base in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the first woman to hold the position.

Jessica’s heart is that of a servant leader. Her time in uniform has ended, but her service and caring for people never will. Home Again Horses represents Jessica coming home again, finally, and for good, and her new mission to help Veterans. Jessica knows how much of themselves Veterans leave behind with each mission as inherent cost for our freedom. She is committed to holding space and providing healing alongside horses so Veterans may find those pieces of themselves, meet them with grace, compassion and strength, and come all the way home again.