Courtesy Photo | Former stay-at-home mom with family, from left, Daniel, Jesse, Matthew, Samuel, Abby,...... read more read more
For Molly Moore, her seven children and seven grandchildren mean everything to her. Four of her children were born at home. “Literally, home is everything to them,” she said.
When she talks about each of them, you can tell this once stay-at-home mom has had some challenges, but they have been completely worth it. “I was home raising my kids. I got divorced and decided I needed to find a way to support them,” said Moore. “I still have two boys at home.”
The oldest of Moore’s children and the only girl is Abby, 30, who is a nurse. “She was like a little mama to the boys,” she said. “She always said she never wanted children but now she has four.”
David, 27, is the oldest boy and works in law enforcement. He is a Staff Sergeant with the Arkansas National Guard. “He’s been in the guard for eight years,” said Moore.
Daniel, 24, was a U.S. Marine, and now works in the fiber optic industry. “When he was active military, he was stationed overseas in Australia and Kuwait,” she said, explaining none of her boys in the military have deployed for a war effort.
Jesse, 21, is a Petty Officer 3rd Class in the U.S. Navy. He is currently stationed in Guam. “Jesse is a Navy Seabee (also known as the Naval Construction Forces), and has also been stationed in Morocco,” said Moore. “He went into the Navy right after high school. He has only been in three years, loves it, and is such a go-getter.”
Samuel, 19, works with his brother, Daniel, in the fiber optic industry. Moore said Samuel thought about going into the Marines. “He still hasn’t ruled it out. He makes good money doing what he is doing. He goes by Samuel, not Sam. However, his brothers call him William because they say he looks like a William. So, I guess I should have named him William,” laughed Moore.
Matthew, 16, is about to graduate from high school and is considering a military career. “He is planning to join in August but is unsure what branch of the military yet,” she said. “He has bounced all around. He is very serious about it.”
Derek, the youngest boy at 14, is also considering a military career, however, his diabetes may hold him back, said Moore. “His doctor told him by the time he gets to the right age there may be better treatments for Type 1. He already knows he probably can’t be a pilot,” she said. “He is definitely interested.”
Moore, who is from Star City, Ark., is an industrial worker for PBA’s Directorate of Chemical and Biological Defense Operations, Protective Clothing and Textiles Production. She has worked for PBA for six years. In simple terms, she sews, but it is much more than a job for her.
“I take it seriously because three of my children are in or have been in the military, and I have one about to go in. Just this fact makes it more important to me,” she said. “I feel like I’m giving back and helping my kids in some small way.”
Jason Fullen, Chief of the Production Division, for CB, said Moore is dedicated to the mission she serves and is a huge asset to the textile team. “Her positive attitude and creative thinking make anything possible,” he said.
Before she came to PBA, Moore was working to become a nurse.
“It just got to be overwhelming for me, and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do,” said Moore. “I feel like God led me here. I’ve been sewing all my life. My sister and I used to play with Barbies, and I would make and design my doll clothes. I made all my children’s and my clothes at one point including my own wedding dress.”
Moore said she has worked on most of the projects in the textile division, including the Chemically Protective Patient Wrap and the Ghillie sniper suits. She has even learned and is quite skillful at using a digital embroidery machine to make book covers for visitors to the installation including senior leaders.
Fullen said he had some concerns when a key textile production worker retired. “I was wondering who would program and operate the embroidery machine. Molly accepted the challenge without hesitation,” he said. “That is just what she does.”
Moore said the APFU-M (Army Physical Fitness Uniform-Maternity) has been her baby.
“I helped build it from scratch to what it is now. We had to work from a pattern and a sample – the men’s APFU version - and modify it. It is a very detailed garment with lots of zippers and pieces,” she said. “When I was doing nursing, I wanted to work with moms and their babies. It is interesting because I have still gotten to do this but in a different way. I feel like I’m helping all the Soldier moms-to-be.”
| Date Taken: | 04.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.29.2025 10:24 |
| Story ID: | 555303 |
| Location: | ARKANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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