Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Roberto Di Giovine | Soldiers with the 59th Aviation Troop Command continued their support of the South...... read more read more
EASTOVER, SOUTH CAROLINA –Soldiers join the military for many reasons including family traditions, idols they’ve seen in the media, or even just a child’s imagination. For many Soldiers, the choice to join the Army followed the terror attacks on September 11, 2001. For South Carolina National Guard Staff Sgt. Jessica Thibeau exposure to the military came from all over - a family filled with combat veterans, a community full of Vietnam veterans, and a television show.
“No laughing, but when I was 4 years old I loved a show called ‘Emergency.’ It was based on the first paramedics in the U.S. out in Los Angeles County, California,” said Thibeau. “That was in 1974. There were not any female firefighters back then. My mom, however, never told me that. She always told me I could be whatever I wanted. I actually got a ton of Tonka fire trucks and ambulances that year for Christmas because that is all I wanted. Becoming a combat medic was just a natural progression.”
After having served on active duty, and twenty years as a civilian paramedic, in 2005 Thibeau decided to join the U.S. Army National Guard, thus offering her combined civilian-military experience in trauma response and emergency/critical care to the Guard. Initially, Thibeau became a combat medic with the Maine Army National Guard, 133rd Engineer Battalion. Next, she joined a medevac unit with C Company, 1-126th General Support Aviation Battalion also in Maine, a career decision that later led to a transfer to the South Carolina Army National Guard, as a critical care flight paramedic with 59th Aviation Troop Command.
Throughout 18 years of military service, Thibeau has saved numerous lives in combat, two while performing as an element of the South Carolina Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team, completed numerous fire-containment missions flown during the Pinnacle Mountain wildfires in November 2016, and countless lives saved as an EMS paramedic. Both as a civilian and a Soldier, she exemplifies positivity in her community and serving with dedication and proficiency in the military.
“The standard answer is always to help people. I do love walking in on someone’s absolute worst day and making it a little, if not a lot, better,” she said. “This job gives you a positive outlet to get that adrenaline rush while having a positive impact on others. Whether it is saving their home, their loved one having a heart attack, or bringing another Soldier home from combat to their family. There is no greater feeling in the world to me than knowing you made a difference.”
Staff Sgt. Jessica Thibeau’s life and professionalism are matched by the way she describes her own commitment to service: direct, straightforward, somewhat idealist, and remarkably honest.
| Date Taken: | 03.31.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 03.31.2017 13:53 |
| Story ID: | 228770 |
| Location: | EASTOVER, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 361 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Citizen-Soldier: saving lives as a civilian and Soldier, by SFC Roberto Di Giovine, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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