Veteran of War in Afghanistan & Iraq
Melissa Leonard

Interviewed by:

Maya Abel and Lily Nannini

They're kind of like your family, that's what the military does for you;

your friends become your family.

~ Melissa Leonard (18:49)

Melissa Leonard's Story:

Although she wasn’t “galavanting around the world”, Melissa Leonard said that being in the military was “one of the best times [of her] life.” Her military experience impacted her life ever since she joined the Air Force in 2005. She currently resides in Marstons Mills, Massachusetts, but she spent her entire childhood in New Jersey before moving to the Cape. She moved to Cape Cod because of her husband, so they could be closer to family. Ever since she was twelve years old, Mrs. Leonard knew she wanted to join the military. She wasn't sure as far as what career she wanted to do, but she knew that she wanted to join the Air Force.

Mrs. Leonard began her career in the military by going to school to learn her trade, a medical logistics technician. In other words, she orders supplies and medical equipment for hospitals that take care of patients that have been affected by war. To get to where she is now, an E5 Staff Sergeant, she had to work really hard to move up in the ranks. She has been deployed a few times around the world, but most of her time was spent at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia. The demanding life of the armed forces was an “emotional roller-coaster” for her and her friends. At the same time, she wouldn't be the person she is today if it weren’t for her time in the military. Mrs. Leonard has many fascinating stories about her time in the military. For instance, her darkest memory began with her walking through a hospital and seeing a young child being treated in one of the rooms. She was horrified to discover the awful things that were done to this child just for information. She was devastated to learn that children were affected just as badly as anyone else. She believes that children should not be burdened with the brutal effects of war. Another memory that she described in depth was her deployment to Qatar during Ramadan. During this time, she was restricted from drinking or possessing water, or else she was at risk of being arrested. Because of this, her unit could only leave base for a limited amount of time to avoid the possibility of dehydration.

Mrs. Leonard met a numerous amount of friends that she still stays in touch with today. In fact, while serving in the Air Force, she met her husband who also serves in the military. Although her husband's job was "a little more demanding than [hers] as far as time away from home", Mrs. Leonard said that it is "manageable, but difficult." Also, since they have different jobs in the military, they are often deployed at different times, which creates a "lifestyle that you need to get used to." Even though there were times when they were apart, on the occasions that the two were deployed together, they got to make unforgettable memories and experience many different cultures.

She wanted to continue in the medical field, so her current occupation is a certified nurse at Emerald Physicians. Mrs. Leonard said that she wants to return to the Air Force and go Guard as a nurse because she misses the sense of patriotism you get from the military. That’s why she became a nurse, so she could “serve [her] country and still help people.” She also recalls watching the nurses in the hospital help patients and she wishes to be able to influence their lives the same way she had previously seen. Being in the Air Force as a medical logistics technician has impacted her life so severely that she is inspired to go back in as a nurse.