Veterans Day Special Feature: 1-on-1 Interview with Brigadier General Lisa Ahaesy

Your resume is amazing and I have always looked up to you.

Same to you, my friend. It's a wonderful to be here with you. It's been a few years, but um I love our history and wonderful to sit here with you today.

Thank you for for having me.

Thank you for talking to us and for being our parade marshals.

Yes. Oh, absolutely. It's an honor.

So, back in 1988, you finished Dery High School. You went right into the military, Lisa. Why?

I did. Well, it it started my sophomore year here uh in history class. Mr. uh Dimmick, George Dimmick was my history teacher. Um so it was September 14th, 1986. Um it was my 16th birthday. So, uh I went to school that day and I thought, I'm 16. I need a job. What can I do? So, I mentioned it to Mr. Dimmick. I said, "Hey, Mr. Dimmick, I'm 16 today. Uh I'm

going to get a job." So, he offered me on the spot. Um he worked at Battleship Coast of the USS Massachusetts here in the city. and he said, "Would you be interested in working the weekends in our byword booth, which was a self-guided tour of the USS Massachusetts?" A lot of the World War II veterans would come in, a lot of which served on the USS Massachusetts.

Um, and they would give me the tour, right? So, I would talk to them and then I wouldn't. I'd listen and listen. And I knew um from them that I needed to be part of something bigger, right? We all walk around in life wondering what our purpose is. Do we have a purpose? What is that purpose?

Imagine having and I don't even call it a job. It's a life. It's an honor. Um to be handed a purpose when you didn't have one. Right. So I'm 17 years old at that time and I knew, you know, as the youngest of seven children, college wasn't on the horizon. Um but I knew I wanted the military first. I knew I needed to be part of something bigger than myself. Um, and

then when I signed up in my senior year, they handed me that purpose and it's what I've been carrying around for the last 37 years with with great honor and pride.

I mean, you are a career military person.

Like you said, you knew at age 16. Now you're a wife, you're a mom, you're a grandom.

I'm not at work. I'm not, you know, thinking about what I'm doing tomorrow.

I'm in that moment. When I'm at work and I'm surrounded by the greatest airmen in the world and the greatest soldiers and those that I serve with, I'm present with them. So, I truly believe it's about being present where you are.

You've served, I think, in 13 different countries in Africa alone, Afghanistan.

Yes.

I mean, you've seen the world.

Yes.

What advice do you have for young people now that are considering joining the military, particularly our young women out there?

You know, I I love that question, Pam, and I talk to everyone. Um, I love to talk to people and I would tell them, explore it.

Nothing's off limits. I used to say sky's is the limit. Now, we have space force. Sky is no longer the limit. It's beyond, right? It is such an exciting time to serve. A lot of times people will say, you know, what is your your greatest honor? What is your greatest your your list of awards, Lisa, is endless.

What one would you say is nearest dearest or your most proud of?

I I would I would say none of them. Um, none of them and all of them because all of them are tied to an experience where I was able to serve with my fellow airmen who I consider my family, right?

Great service members from all branches throughout the country and throughout the world. Um, so they're all tied to an experience and to be able to see young people grow and to be able, especially in the leadership role that I'm in now, to be able to see airmen grow and doing the wonderful things that they're doing.

And knowing that I had a small part in helping shape that and help lead is that's my greatest accompliment. That's my greatest reward of of any awards.

It's not about the rank. It's not about the decorations. It is truly about people.

It's your mentorship.

Yes.

I mean being young journalists, we know the mentors that led us and how much they meant to us. And now I think I agree with you. It's just giving back, right? Absolutely. You're a giver.

Absolutely. Yes. So are you.

Thank you so much. On this Veterans Day, I honor you. I honor all of the people that served before you and thank you so much and best of luck to your daughters as well.

Thank you, Pam. Appreciate you.

Thank you.