Honoring our Veterans

If the Army taught me to drive through rough terrain, Tacoma Community College has taught me how to navigate opportunity. Together, they’ve shown me that success isn’t a destination — it’s a convoy. You just keep moving forward, one mile, one class, one late-night cup of coffee at a time."

Good afternoon, everyone.

My name is Tiffany, and before I found myself buried under textbooks, discussion posts, and APA formatting rules, I was serving in the United States Army.

I spent ten years in uniform as a Non-Commissioned Officer — an NCO — and my military job was as an 88M, or truck driver. That’s right, I spent a decade making sure things and people got where they needed to go — safely, efficiently, and sometimes on roads that could only be described as “questionable life choices.”

In the Army, you learn a few core things: discipline, leadership, how to sleep anywhere, and how to make coffee strong enough to wake the dead. But you also learn something even more important — how to adapt. Life changes. Missions change. And after ten years of service, my mission did too.

Transitioning from the Army to civilian life wasn’t a smooth, paved highway. It was more like a bumpy back road full of detours — but I had my GPS set on success. I wanted to keep pushing forward, to prove to myself that growth doesn’t stop when you hang up the uniform.

That’s how I found myself at Tacoma Community College, working toward my Associate of Arts in Business. I’ll be honest — when I started, I wasn’t sure how well I’d do. Ten years in the Army trains you to lead soldiers, not write essays about discourse communities or Greek mythology. But here I am, several classes later, still rocking a 4.0 GPA — and holding onto it like it’s the last MRE in the field.

Now, juggling full-time work and full-time school is no small task. I clock in early, grind through the day, and then switch from spreadsheets to study guides, from handling customers to handling citations. There are nights when my brain feels like it’s gone AWOL, but then I remember: I’ve faced tougher missions before.

And honestly, my time in the Army gave me every tool I need to succeed in college. Deadlines? Easy. Try convoy departure at 0400. Group projects? Please — I’ve coordinated people, vehicles, and supplies across countries. Public speaking? If you’ve ever given a safety brief to a room full of soldiers on a Friday, you can handle any audience.

But what I’ve learned most is that success isn’t about perfection. It’s about consistency. It’s about showing up, even when you’re tired, even when life gets messy, even when the Wi-Fi cuts out mid-Zoom lecture.

The Army taught me how to lead, but college has taught me how to think — critically, creatively, and sometimes sarcastically, because let’s be honest — humor helps.

I’ve written research papers about Greek goddesses, economic giants, and human behavior, all while still paying bills and trying to remember what sleep feels like. And you know what? I wouldn’t change a thing.

Every late night and every long workday reminds me of something I learned long ago: discipline will get you started, but purpose keeps you going. My purpose now is education — and setting an example. Because I want other veterans, students, and anyone facing a major life change to know that your story isn’t over — it’s just got a new chapter.

If the Army taught me to drive through rough terrain, Tacoma Community College has taught me how to navigate opportunity. Together, they’ve shown me that success isn’t a destination — it’s a convoy. You just keep moving forward, one mile, one class, one late-night cup of coffee at a time.

So here’s to growth, grit, and grades — specifically my 4.0, which I fully intend to guard like classified intel until the day I graduate.

Thank you.