Tammy was born and raised in Charleston, West Virginia and is the product of a proud coal-mining family. Tammy is also the granddaughter of a WWII Navy veteran and the niece of Air Force and Navy veterans. As a senior in high school Tammy watched the troops returning from Desert Storm, and while sitting in her grandmother’s living room, decided she too wanted to be a soldier. Tammy joined the Army on the delayed entry program and entered basic training at Ft. Jackson, SC upon graduation. Tammy then completed AIT at Ft. Sam Houston, TX and began her military service as a 91B. Tammy’s first duty station was Ft. Ord in Monterrey, CA at Silas B. Hayes Army Community Hospital, and her second duty station was Ft. Hood, TX where she served as a field medic with the 89 th MP Brigade. It was there she met her husband of almost 23 years. Upon leaving the military Tammy supported her husband throughout the rest of his 23-year military career. Tammy and her husband have 5 children ranging in ages 8-27, one of whom is also an Army veteran.

Tammy completed her schooling as a clinical mental health counselor while raising children and being involved in various military programs including the FRG in each of her husband’s companies. During graduate school Tammy was given an assignment to attend a group and critique the facilitator. Tammy chose to attend an NA meeting and immediately fell in love with each of the members as they told the story of how addiction had affected their lives. Tammy volunteers with Give an Hour and holds a weekly chemical dependency group at a veteran’s residential home in San Antonio. Tammy also works at the outpatient unit at San Antonio Behavioral Healthcare Hospital where she leads chemical dependency and trauma groups. Tammy was instrumental in developing the active duty, veteran, and first responder program at the hospital and is trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure, Written Exposure Therapy for PTSD, as well as Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART).

During her free time, Tammy can be found hanging out at the barn with her menagerie of animals including peacocks, pot-belly pigs, ducks, chickens, cats, dogs, and horses. Tammy and her husband have started a non-profit called New Tactics that provides equine therapy to veterans, active duty, and first responders. Her absolute favorite horse is a 17-year-old sorrel Missouri Fox Trotter named Shiloh. Tammy is also passionate about loud rock music and can be found cruising around in her Jeep Wrangler blaring her favorite metal band, Five Finger Death Punch.

My Why:

People who say you do not get to choose your family have never been in the military. The instant I put on the uniform I became part of something bigger and more powerful than myself. For me, my military family is my biggest support system. There has never been a time when I have reached out to one of them and they have not answered the call, dropped what they were doing, and been by my side. After sitting with my first combat veteran as a counselor and hearing his story, I knew I had found my calling. I have borne witness to the devastating effects combat, survivor’s guilt, moral injury, military sexual trauma, and substance use have had on my brothers and sisters and their loved ones. It is my honor and privilege to sit with them in the darkness, help carry some of that burden, and walk beside them in their healing journey. To quote Lilo and Stitch, “Ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten”. No man left behind does not end on the battlefield. Our warriors have ensured we live free, and I am dedicated to helping them “come home” and live their best lives.