Page 21 - San Diego Woman interactive pdf

Women of Distinction
All-American Girl Serves

Country and Community

Honoring Those Who Served

By Judith A. Habert
Photos courtesy of Amy Forsythe

rowing up, Amy Forsythe loved hometown of Santa Rosa, California Amy has worked
Ghearing stories from her grand- in 1993, not long after Desert storm. as a military pho-
parents about their time serving our At 22, Amy was a little bit older tojournalist since
country in the military, so much so than your average Marine recruit, 1993 and continues
that she knew this was the path she but they promised her the job of to serve as a U.S.
Navy Public Affairs
wanted to take in her own life. Amy’s being a combat correspondent. What Officer. She's
grandfather was a U.S. Marine and that meant was a photojournalist covered combat Island, South Carolina and more
her grandmother an Army nurse. who would be out in the field telling operations in Iraq schooling in Indiana.”
She spent a lot of time with them and the story of the Marines. This was a and Afghanistan The year was 1994, and she was
would sit for hours listening to their perfect fit for Amy as she was always and military train- enjoying her first duty station when
stories of World War II. interested in photography, even in ing exercises in mass numbers of Cubans and Hai-
Although neither her mom nor high school where she was on the places like Guam, tians were trying to flee their coun-
dad served, Amy was brought up yearbook committee. Her other Romania, Poland, tries and come to the United States.
with a strong sense of patriotism. strong suit during school was getting Sri Lanka, Mayla- The policy at the time was if these
“My dad gave me a strong sense of up in front of the class to give presen- sia and Germany. refugees could put one foot down on
She's currently
patriotism and made sure we always tations, a thought probably scarier working on a book U.S. soil, they would get immigration
supported our troops. We never to most of us than even joining the that highlights status. It wasn’t an easy task, and so
missed the parades on Memorial military. military memorials the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo
Day to honor those who sacrificed so Amy was different in this respect and monuments in Bay was turned into a huge camp
much for their country.” and was excited at the prospect of her North San Diego where refugees remained for months
Her parents were behind her new career, “I thought if I can be a County as a com- as decisions were made whether they
decision to join the military, but with journalist in the Marines that would memoration of the would allow these immigrants into
one caveat, they wanted her to go to be perfect. So, I enlisted. And my 20th anniversary of the States.
college first. “My parents said, just first duty station was Guantanamo 9/11 where many Some had sponsors, while others
try it if you don't like it, then join Bay, Cuba. I had not traveled much of her photos will would have to be repatriated back to
be featured.
the military.” Amy gave it a shot, but beyond California, where I was born their home countries. This was her
decided that it just wasn’t what she and raised. So, my first foray out of first real experience with a real-world
wanted. She enlisted in from her the area was to bootcamp in Parris operational mission.
“I had the opportunity to inter-
view a lot of high-ranking individu-
Amy on location als, senators, and congressmen and
in Afghanistan take photos of the actual mission that
in 2018 - She was going on while I was stationed
has served five
combat tours over there. I was just so young, and I
the past 18 years:
two tours to Iraq Amy lived and
(2006 and 2008) worked on the U.S.
and three tours to territory island of
Afghanistan (2003, Guam from 2015-
2013 and 2018). 2020 and adopted
Here she is at a a rescue dog named
remote location Schatzie ('Schatzie'
facilitating a media is a German word
engagement at the for 'little treasure').
Afghan-Pakistan Schatzie is a 6-year
border where U.S. old terrier-mix
Green Berets were and luckily Amy
fighting ISIS to was able to bring
prevent them from Schatzie back to
infiltrating the San Diego with her
county. when she relocated
in June of 2020.

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