Marine to veteran advocate - Sarah Klimm
Sarah Klimm's Marine Corps Journey
Sarah Klimm joined the Marine Corps initially because she wanted to do something different from her small hometown and gain marketable skills. She chose aviation maintenance as her job. After her first enlistment, she got out and worked in retail for a while. However, the embassy bombings made her reconsider, and she rejoined the Marine Corps. She stayed for 20 years because she felt part of something bigger, enjoyed the camaraderie and travel opportunities, and needed to support her family. Despite times of uncertainty, she grew to like her role as she advanced in rank and became a bigger part of the mission.
Sarah's military experiences, focusing on her deployments and the impact of war on her personal life.
Sarah discussed the challenges faced by military leaders in supporting their marines and their families. Sarah shared her experiences of dealing with operational stressors, combat stressors, and the impact of technology on communication with family members. She emphasized the importance of balancing the needs of marines and their families, and the need for leaders to be flexible and adaptable in handling various situations. Sarah also highlighted the importance of cultivating talent within the military and the need for leaders to understand the human side of their role.
Sarah shared her experiences highlighting the importance of good leadership and the need to learn from both good and bad leaders. She emphasized her focus on getting the job done right, even if it meant ruffling some feathers. Sarah also discussed her approach to advocating for what's right and just, even when it meant challenging senior enlisted personnel.
Sarah discussed her journey into advocacy, which was sparked by her experiences with discrimination as a trans person. Sarah shared how she was denied hormone therapy at the VA despite following their policy, leading her to advocate for change. She also discussed her advocacy work, which includes speaking engagements, panels, and direct advocacy with legislators. Sarah emphasized the importance of using her voice to represent those who cannot speak for themselves and the interconnectedness of advocacy efforts across the country.Despite these difficulties, Sarah affirms her commitment to the Marine Corps oath, even when her rights have been questioned. She expresses pride in defending the Constitution and all Americans, and states she would take the oath again without hesitation, despite losing friends in service.
