Duckworth was born to an American father working in international development and a Thai mother of Chinese descent. Her childhood unfolded across Southeast Asia before her family relocated to Hawaii when she was sixteen. Financial hardship—including periods on public assistance—shaped her early understanding of economic insecurity and the challenges facing working families.
She attended the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, later earning a master’s degree from George Washington University, where she joined Army ROTC. Drawn to aviation, she trained as a helicopter pilot—one of the first Army women to fly combat missions during the Iraq War. In 2004, while serving with the Illinois Army National Guard, her Black Hawk helicopter was struck by a rocket‑propelled grenade. She lost both legs and partial use of her right arm, surviving only through the efforts of her crew and medics. Her long recovery at Walter Reed transformed her into a national advocate for wounded service members.
After rehabilitation, Duckworth served as Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, then as Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs under President Obama, where she worked to reduce veteran homelessness and expand services for women veterans.
Elected to the U.S. House in 2012 and the Senate in 2016, Duckworth became the first Thai‑American woman in the Senate and the first female double‑amputee to serve there. In 2018, she made history again as the first sitting U.S. Senator to give birth, prompting a rules change allowing infants on the Senate floor.
Today, Duckworth is a leading voice on veterans’ issues, disability rights, reproductive freedom, national security, and support for working families. Her life remains a testament to resilience, public duty, and the belief that service continues long after the uniform comes off.
 |
| U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth [D-IL] offical portrait, 2017 |
No comments:
Post a Comment