Salute to veterans — Military service helps veteran find her passion

When asked why she chose the U.S. Air Force, Halen James said, "My dad was in the Air Force." Then she joked, "Also, I'm very lazy."

Of course, this can't be true. No one who goes through boot camp, four years as a medic, four years of undergrad college work plus three more years for a master's degree in speech pathology could ever be thought of as lazy. Perhaps, James just prefers to avoid discomfort.

"I didn't want the Army because they sleep in tents, and I don't like open water, so the Navy was out. In the Air Force, we stayed in air-conditioned hotels and got paid the same as the other branches," James said. "I just wanted a nice office job, nine to five, weekends off. I wound up working 12-hour shifts as a medic in the ER. That didn't play out as well as I thought it would, but I now realize how lucky I was to get a job as a medic. There are a lot worse jobs to have in the military."

Halen JamesSubmitted

James said she spent her whole tour of duty, from 2015 through 2019, in the 35th MDS Surgical Unit stationed at Misawa Air Base in the Amori prefecture of Japan. By the end of her four years of service, she'd reached the rank of senior airman aerospace medical technician.

"Which was just a fancy name for a medic," James said. "The closest I got to anything involving aerospace was if I was treating a pilot."

Named after rock guitarist Eddie Van Halen, James grew up in Chicago. Before the military, she was in art school, also studying sign language. Her dad kept trying to talk her into enlisting, but James resisted.

"When I was 20, I didn't really want to join the military," James said. "I couldn't see how it would help me in the long run."

Eventually James saw the wisdom in his advice.

"I realized how poor I was and that I couldn't afford to stay in school, so the military became a way to pay for my education through the GI Bill," James said. "Also, I have the (Department of Veterans Affairs) for any medical needs. The benefits outweigh (what) I went through for four years in the service."

Other benefits James said she received were finding a support system and a group of friends from all over the world, not to mention meeting the man she would eventually marry. She said the experience also gave her the opportunity and circumstances that helped her find her calling as a speech pathologist.

"I can use everything I used as a medic as well as the sign language I already enjoyed. It became a nice blend," James said. "Most people never get the opportunity to challenge themselves in a way that military service challenges you mentally and physically. I think never having that opportunity can leave a void that is filled by self-doubt."

After receiving basic and medical training at Joint Base San Antonio, James said being stationed in Japan was a lucky break.

"When I got my orders I was anticipating Mountain Home, Idaho, or Minot, North Dakota," James said. "Some guy wanted to trade with me. He was stationed in Guam, but I don't do well in the heat, so I decided to stick with Japan. I'm glad I did because I got to travel to places like Thailand, Malaysia and the Maldives. Then, of course, Japan is cool, too. Tokyo is amazing, and I really liked Mitsuwa Bay."

James said she wears a sense of pride for being a veteran but admitted there are challenges to being a woman in the military.

"Because I'm so young and a woman people look at me funny when they hear I'm a veteran," James said. "When I go to the VA, they ask who I'm there with, and I have to convince them I'm there for me. I don't meet many other young female veterans — it's mostly men. I wish there was more of a connection with female veterans."

If anyone asks her advice about joining the military, James said she tells them to do a lot of research and be sure what job and branch they want to join.

"Also, practice standing because you'll be doing a lot of that," James said. "Luckily, I was a security guard before joining, so I was used to it, but I remember many people complaining about their feet. They train you while you're there, so don't worry about not being cut out for the military; you'd be surprised what you can do."