I went to Iraq in 2004 because I believe in doing my duty, not because I agreed with the war.
We should have completed the fight in Afghanistan instead of starting a new war in Iraq.
I was so proud when I was commissioned into the Army.
When I hear from people who are struggling to put food on the table, I understand because I've been there.
When I was young, my dad, a veteran who attended college on the GI Bill, lost his job at age 55 when the company he worked for was sold. My entire family pitched in - my mom took in sewing, and I got a minimum wage job after school.
What seems like comfort and security one day can all be taken away the very next.
Life isn't fair, and it isn't government's job to make life fair. But if you're not willing to give up on yourself, then we shouldn't give up on you, either.
At my core, I know that the American Dream is about the opportunity to work hard to make your future.
Food Stamps helped keep me from going hungry, and Pell grants helped me go to college.
It was the combination of hard work and a hand up that allowed me to become one of the first women to fly in combat missions and achieve my American Dream.
I am just one of the overwhelming majority of Americans who is responsible and hard-working and at one point in their life benefited greatly from government programs such as student loans, Medicare, and Social Security.
I know firsthand that immigrants make enormous contributions to our nation, but I also know that we need to secure our borders and make sure that those who came here illegally wait their turn, pay a fine and any unpaid taxes, and pass a criminal background check before becoming citizens.
The ADA allows persons with disabilities the opportunity to participate in the world around them.
I consider myself lucky to have been born into a family that valued service to both one's country and one's community.
Whether defending our nation as a Black Hawk pilot abroad or serving our veterans and those in need at home, my life has been enriched by the opportunities I've had to serve my country and fellow citizens, both in and out of uniform.
Those who put their lives on the line overseas are undoubtedly American heroes, but it's time for us to remember that those who serve in civilian life also embody the American spirit and are worthy of our praise as well.
Like so many women, especially military women, I waited to have children.
I didn't want to get pregnant while commanding an assault helicopter company and, before I knew it, I was deployed and missed out on many of my childbearing years.
Each and every time I went in for IVF treatments, I knew there was a bipartisan group of Congresswomen praying for me, and I was honored that the same group was there at my baby shower.
I can't avoid the interest in the fact that I'm an injured female soldier.
