#VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Elizabeth Mesa

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Elizabeth Mesa.

Beth joined the Army in April 2000 and attended basic training in Fort Leonard-Wood, Missouri.  She attended advanced training as a counter-intelligence agent in Fort Huachuca, AZ, and was stationed at Camp Humphreys, Korea.  She was promoted twice and left there as a specialist. Her next duty station was Fort Gordon, Georgia, where she deployed to Camp Doha, Kuwait, then to Iraq. Shortly after re-enlisting, she was deployed again.

During a trip to Baqubah, Iraq, Dec. 4, 2004, the vehicle she was riding in hit a roadside bomb. She suffered multiple injuries and was medically evacuated to the hospital in Balad. Her driver, unfortunately, did not survive the incident.

She eventually was medically released from service in November 2005, due to the extent of her injuries.  She received the Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, two Army Achievement Medals, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Non Commissioned Office Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (2nd), Combat Action Badge, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Iraq Campaign Medal.

After leaving service, she got married and moved to Arizona where she went to school and earned her associate of applied science as a paralegal. She now lives in southern Texas with her husband and two children, and works for the University of Houston–Victoria.  She is currently working on her bachelor’s degree.

Thank you for your service, Beth!

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