Army
Wilson joined the United States Army as a private on March 25,1981 and worked as a military intelligence German linguist voice intercept operator. [2] She served for over thirty years in the Army and in the United States Army Reserve,with deployments and posts in Germany,Iraq,and the United States. [2]
In August 1990,Wilson was mobilized to support Operation Desert Storm and served as the Signals Intelligence collection manager for XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. [2] In December 2002,she mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as a senior counter terrorism analyst. [2] She served for six years in the U.S. Specials Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa,Florida as an intelligence analyst in support of information operations focusing on the Global War on Terrorism. [5] She was deployed twice to Iraq in support of a specialized joint special operations task force and was previously assigned to the 533rd Military Intelligence Battalion supporting the 3rd Armored Division in Germany,the 525th Military Intelligence Brigade at Fort Bragg,the 337th Military Intelligence Battalion in Charlotte,North Carolina,the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell in Kentucky,the 323rd Military Intelligence Battalion at Fort Meade in Maryland,and the [[CENTCOM Army Reserve Element in Tampa. [2] Wilson also served as the chief of mobilization training for Army Reserve Intelligence soldiers at the Military Intelligence Readiness Command at Fort Belvoir in Virginia preparing for deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom. [2]
On July 2,2012,she was appointed as the 5th Command Chief Warrant Officer of the US Army Reserve,succeeding James Thompson. [2] In this role,Wilson advised the commanding general of the Army Reserve on training,education,career management,leader development,and warrior transition issues for warrant officers in the Army Reserve. [2] Wilson was also responsible for coordinating policy changes supporting advancing initiatives for the Warrant Officer Corps. [2]
She was appointed by Lloyd Austin,the United States Secretary of Defense under the Biden Administration,to the Reserve Forces Policy Board. [3] She serves on the board of directors for Policy Vets and the Association of the United States Army,where she is also a senior fellow. [3] She serves as the Army Reserve Ambassador for Maryland,which accords her the rights,privileges,and protocol status equivalent to that of a 2-star general officer. [3]
Awards,honors,and recognitions
Wilson was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal,the Meritorious Service Medal,the Joint Service Commendation Medal,the Army Commendation Medal,the Joint Service Achievement Medal,the Army Achievement Medal,the Iraq Campaign Medal,the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal,the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal,the Legion of Merit,and the Parachutist Badge. [2] [4]
She was inducted into the Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame and the U.S. Veterans Hall of Fame. [4] In March 2020,Wilson was named a "Power Player of the Week" by Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday . [6]
On November 4,2022,Wilson was honored by Veteran Affairs News as the Veteran of the Day. [7]
In February 2025,Wilson was presented with the Daughter of the American Revolution's President General's Medallion,in recognition of her service and dedication to women veterans,by President General Pamela Rouse Wright. [8] On July 2025,Wilson was inducted into the Honorable Order of the Eagle Rising Society during a ceremony at Fort Rucker,becoming the twenty-seventh person to receive the honor. [9] She was presented the award by retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Jim O’Brien,the executive vice president of the Military Officers Association of America,and Colonel Kevin McHugh,commandant of the Warrant Officer Career College. [9]
United States of America