Jessica Dawson

About Jess

I joined the Army straight out of high school because I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up. I have the answer to that question now. I spent 12 years as an NCO, leading soldiers as a sergeant, staff sergeant, and sergeant first class. I decided to head off to Officer Candidate School and become an officer and having earned my commission, I'm now a signal officer serving at Fort Hood, Texas. I am an avid reader, animal lover (we won't talk about the cat), and a terrible housewife. I might be able to spend weeks at a time in a tactical environment, but Martha Stewart, I am not. I love discussions about subjects like ethics, morality, and religion (I know, I'm such a geek) but I'll talk about lighter things like dirty diapers and diaper rash with way more passion.

My kids are my greatest joy and my biggest worry. I never truly knew fear until I drove home from the hospital that first time. My mother is my hero, for lots of reasons, but also because she's put her life on hold to take care of my daughters while my husband and I deploy to Iraq later this year.