Although affected from her traumas throughout her active duty, Monique’s service and appreciation of her fellow soldiers remained and still remains strong, she clarifies to Victor. This is due to her dedication to the Warrior Ethos, the Army’s set of principles each soldier forever lives by:
I will always place my mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
It is this dedication to something larger than oneself that makes all of the drills, discipline, and adherence to the regulations worth it. It fosters a culture of honor and a community to belong to.
Whatever the mission, these soldiers fight together, preserver together, and sacrifice together, creating a bond unlike any other. “When you’re there, you have no family,” she recalls. “You rely on your brothers and sisters, your battle buddies.”
This strong support system fostered Monique’s focus on helping others, something she continued after transitioning out of the Army. “I was so used to having a mission and now outreach has given me a mission. I thrive on that; it gives me something to focus on,” she explains.
Helping others has become her mission, her way of life, what heals her, and what guides her: her ethos.