Veteran of the Month – Leah D. Ward

Name: Leah D Ward

Place of Birth: York, PA

Military Branch of Service: 1993-2000, US Army Reserves, 2000-2013 US Air Force Reserves, 2013 to present, CT Air National Guard

Enlisted, Commissioned, or drafted?: Enlisted 1993-2001, Commissioned in 2001 2Lt

Service Dates: 1993 to present

Highest Rank: Major

Military Job: 1993-2000 medic, 2000 to present Registered Nurse

Duties: Assisted on deployments in processing patients for aeromedical evacuation

Unit, Division, Battalion, Group, Ship, Etc.: Currently 103rd Air Wing Medical Group, Bradley ANG, previously 439th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, Westover ARB

War, Operation, or Conflict served in: Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) deployment to Kuwait in 2004-2005 to process patients being aeromedically evacuated for treatment, later in 2010 to Germany to receive patients from Iraq/Afghanistan to further process for return to home station for treatment.

Locations of Service: Kuwait, Germany deployments

Battles/Campaigns: OIF/OEF support

Decorations: Many routine decorations, most notably the Air Force Achievement medal, Global War on Terror, and Global War on Terror-Expeditionary.

Military Schools/Training: Army Basic training 1993, Primary Leadership Development 1998, Commissed Officer Training 2001, Aeromedical Evacuation training course 2001, Survival Escape Resistance Evasion course 2001, Squadron Officer School 2005, Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility course 2001, 2004, 2009, Air Command and Staff College 2010-2013 for MA in Military Operational Art and Science degree

Name of Post: VFW Post 296, served as Jr. Vice Commander since 2006

Family info (spouse, children?): Married to Master Sergeant Daniel Ward, USMCR. They have two boys Walter, age 7, Henry age 3.

Community activities: Bagpiper for Police Pipes and Drums of Waterbury; provide law enforcement support for funerals, celebrations, fundraisers, ceremonies; VFW Post 296 Jr Vice Commander; currently arranging cemetery cleanups for Revolutionary War era cemeteries that are in very poor condition to better respect those that gave us our country.

Occupation after military service: Visiting nurse, going to school now for Nurse Practitioner

Memorable Event: Once while deployed in Kuwait, my husband’s commander’s supervisor came through as a patient. Thankful for the hospitality he received he repaid me by pulling my husband out of Iraq over Christmas for my promotion ceremony to Captain. Dan showed up on an aircraft in the middle of the night. This is the story for the grandchildren. Sadly, however, he was placed on an angel flight sitting next to the ones that didn’t make it home.