GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – After initial plans of leaving the Air Force after four years and getting her commission, Jessika George stayed for 22 years, and had tours in Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Bosnia, and with having a rich history of family in the service, it only made sense.
“My reason for joining was pure and simple, I wanted to serve my country, my grandfather served in World War II, he was offered a field commission, which he declined, but that is a different story,” George says, “Then my father served in the Army during Vietnam, and my brother served during the Gulf War.”
Her brother also served in the Air Force, and seeing what it taught him, she enlisted, working her way up, becoming a leader, working for what she wanted.
Hometown Heroes: Retired Army officer writes book on mental health strategies
“I ended up at Air Force Special Operations Command Headquarters, managing three courier fields, six Air Force Bases, lots and lots of planes, and thousands of people, lots of school houses. That was where I enjoyed, and I succeeded in that area. I like to say that I was a natural leader, and the Air Force really sharpened that knife for me,” says George.
Jessika enlisted in 1995, and in 2014, she had her last deployment out to Afghanistan, something that she says was an experience she would not change.
“I went to Afghanistan in 2014 to kind of wrap up my career, that was my last deployment and I went there for five months, it was kinda sketchy at times, but over time it was a good experience, I learned alot about myself and what I am capable as a human, which is a lot more then I gave myself credit for.”
Hometown Hero: Keith Schmidt reflects on service as new roof is installed by community program
Making a career in the military, Jessika has a message for the next generation of service men and women.
“If there was anything I learned throughout the military was knowledge is on the other side of frustration, if you are doing something’s and it’s making you mad, or your learning something’s new and your feeling completely frustrated by it, don’t give up there, just keep going through it, on the other side of that frustrating moment, is the knowledge you are seeking.”
Jessika retired in 2018 and has since started her own company called Leader Human, using her life experiences from being a leader in the Air Force to shape the next leaders of our country.
If you want to learn more about Leader Human and their mission, you can check them out here.
