A biography for Tammy Duckworthhasn’t been written yet.
“My therapist would be so happy to know I'm doing all this walking. They've done a great job of putting me back together, haven't they?”
“Female service members are so integrated into the military, so critical and vital to all functions of the military, from combat service support to combat support, to direct combat, that we could not go to war as a nation - we could not defend America - without our women.”
“I'd do anything to help veterans.”
“The power of the ADA is that it ended up changing my life long before I ever imagined it would.”
“It's really hard to use a laptop when you only have half a lap.”
“I went to Iraq in 2004 because I believe in doing my duty, not because I agreed with the war.”
“You fly. You aviate. You do everything you can to get the aircraft safely on the ground.”
“I'm glad that people know my military service. But, like this nation, we are more than our military. And the rest of our story is the same as the rest of my story.”
“When I joined the U.S. Army Reserve in 1992, there were no female four-star generals. I still remember the day in 2008 when a woman first achieved that rank.”
“Those who put their lives on the line overseas are undoubtedly American heroes, but it's time for us to remember that those who serve in civilian life also embody the American spirit and are worthy of our praise as well.”
“Food Stamps helped keep me from going hungry, and Pell grants helped me go to college.”
“My strength is in finding ways to make the government work for the people: finding waste, or money that is not being properly used... or finding opportunities that are out there and making them work for the community.”
“Like many moms in this country, I work to provide my child the best life she can have. It's tough. It's hard to take care of a sick baby all night, wake up tired, and have to go to work when all I want to do is spend time holding her.”
“I had been pursuing a Ph.D. in political science when my National Guard unit was sent to Iraq. Eight months into our deployment, in November 2004, a rocket-propelled grenade fired by Iraqi insurgents tore through the pilot's side of the Blackhawk helicopter I was flying.”
“I almost can't believe this even needs to be said, but it's not unwarranted to burden retirement advisers with a requirement that they act in their clients' best interest.”
“As a nation, we need to do everything we can to make sure those who have served have the tools they need to succeed in civilian life.”
“I remember my mother taking me as a very little kid to the roof of our home in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to look at the bombs exploding in the distance. She didn't want us to be scared by the booms and the strange flashes of light. It was her way of helping us to understand what was happening.”
“I was so proud when I was commissioned into the Army.”
“I don't ever want to be sad about my life.”
“The lessons I learned as an officer, the challenges I've faced, and the camaraderie I've experienced are at the core of who I am.”