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| Anna María Arias Foundation
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By Captain Jenny Vallejos-Padilla Chief Physical Therapist Al Udeid Air Base U.S. Air Force
 Capt. Jenny treating a patient who had been shot in Afghanistan. |
Growing up I always felt a strong need to serve my country. I felt this would be a great way to give back to my country. Faith and a few key events have helped me decide who, what, where, when, and why of my military career. My dedicated parents worked my entire life in a hospital setting. Being around this environment helped determine the capacity in which I wanted to help others; physical therapy. Through various blessings, I was signed by a very energetic Air Force-ROTC recruiter, who helped me decide to become an officer. Through AFROTC, I received a scholarship to earn both my bachelors and masters degrees.
I received my commission in 2003, and in 2006 I became active duty. The first few years of active duty were not easy. Not only was I trying to get my bearings as a new physical therapist, but since I was an officer I had the huge responsibility of leading people and learning how to run a physical therapy clinic.
Multiple challenges arose, but with endless support from my clinical staff, I learned there is a special bond between the enlisted core and the officers. Understanding this helped me to realize being an officer is more then just telling someone what to do, but rather I’m in charge of someone’s career. In the end, they have helped me in my own career; to become a better officer.
Being in the military has placed me in situations that are beyond my comfort level. As they say about being outside one’s comfort zone; it makes you grow. The first three years of my career have done just that and helped prepare me for my current deployment. During this deployment, I am the only physical therapist and together with one technician, we run a clinic servicing a base with more than 10,000 troops. Through this deployment I have learned a lot about myself and about the heart of the United States; its citizens. Everyday I get troops and civilians coming to my clinic, who have been injured in Afghanistan or Iraq, and their main concern is not about their welfare, but of those they have left behind in the battle fields. They constantly ask me, “When am I gonna get back to my troops?”
 Group with the Olympic Heavy Medal Tour. Jenny on bottom row, 2nd from right. |
 Group from the clinic after running a 10K in remembrance for those in the Bateen Death March. |
These men and women come through my clinic having given their all and they still want to get back to the fight and give more. This makes me proud that in some way I can help do my part to serve my country. Then, there are the almost daily reminders of the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice. They come through the base on their way to their final destination; the U.S. to be buried. This is a sobering and humbling experience, as the entire base stops what we are doing to pay tribute to those who died so we may freedom.
This deployment has taught me so much about myself and the men and women I serve with, but also helps me realize how blessed I am to have my family. Before I joined the military I married a wonderful man, Jeremias. Along the way we have been blessed with three beautiful children. With my parents, sisters and in-laws, we have had great support that has shown nothing less than the best since I have been active duty and especially now that I am deployed.
 Jenny dressed in battle gear. |
 Jenny’s three kids, Maria de la Luz, Elena and Antonio. |
Unfortunately the hard part of being in the military is that I have missed birthdays, first steps and words. Even so, being able to say that I have served my country and helped keep our troops healthy, is one of the proudest things I have done in my life. And as my time in the military is coming to a close I will never forget the wonderful men and women I have been blessed to serve with and everything they have taught me.
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