#VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Lakesha Green

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Lakesha Green, who helped with humanitarian relief after Hurricane Katrina.

Lakesha Green was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1979 and grew up with two brothers. She was active in her youth; dancing, playing basketball and practicing martial arts. After graduating from high school in 1997, Green enrolled in the Job Corps to receive vocational training. In 1998, inspired by the military service of her grandfather and uncle, she enlisted in the military. Initially, she joined the Army Reserve, but then transferred to the Army National Guard.

In 1999, Green reported to Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, where she completed basic training, and shortly afterward, finished food service specialist training. Green served in Vilseck, Germany, in 2002 and was part of a quick reaction force. In an interview with the Library of Congress Veterans History Project, Green stated her role was to “look for terrorists or anything out of the ordinary.” She returned to the U.S. in 2003.

Green went to Hammond, Louisiana in 2005, where she helped with humanitarian relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. While there, she helped protect resources, such as food and water, making sure they reached people in need.

In 2009, Green deployed to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment. While in Iraq, Green earned a Combat Action Badge and a certificate of appreciation for outstanding service as a food operations sergeant. She returned to the U.S. in September 2009.

After returning from Iraq, Green joined the Warrior Transitional Brigade located at Fort Meade, Maryland, to recuperate from her experiences. In 2011, Green left the Army National Guard. Later, she worked in an internship with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the latter of which hired her as a records management assistant.

When asked by the Veterans History Project what she would like people to take from her story, Green said, “be comfortable with who you are, don’t be ashamed. Do what you feel is right.”

Thank you for your service!

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Veterans History Project

This #VeteranOfTheDay profile was created with interviews submitted to the Veterans History Project. The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war Veterans so that future generations may hear directly from Veterans and better understand the realities of war. Find out more at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.

Contributors

Writer: Raymond Lin

Editor: Christine Myers and Kristen Whitehurst

Fact checker: Shiv Lamba

Graphic artist: Kiki Kelley