CPT Edna J. Ashley, NM ARNG Oral History

title:

CPT Edna J. Ashley, NM ARNG Oral History

creator:

Ashley, Edna (1962 August 30 - )

subject:

Army | Army National Guard

description:

Edna Ashley was born on August 30, 1962 in Gallup, New Mexico. She grew up on a reservation with an older sister and two younger brothers, and they were raised with both Catholic and Navajo religious traditions. Edna wanted to join the military since she was 16 years old (her older sister Alberta was in the Army), but Edna’s mother wanted her to stay home and go to college. After graduating from Sanders Valley High School in 1981, she worked with her mother as an assistant manager at a store for four years before enlisting in Army one day after going to the bank. She attended basic training in Charleston, South Carolina and she didn’t find basic very tough. From basic training Edna moved onto Advanced Individual Training (AIT) in the signal school at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia. After graduating, Edna spent two years in the 123rd Signal Corps stationed in Wurzburg, Germany. She was then stationed at Fort Huachuca in Arizona, and there became pregnant with her daughter, Shandiin (Navajo for “sunshine”). Shandiin stayed with Edna’s mother when Edna herself was stationed in Synop, Turkey, during Operation Desert Storm. 18 months later, Edna returned to the United States and moved to Fort Detrick, Maryland with a two-year old daughter that did not recognize her. Edna decided to leave active duty early and went to school at the University of New Mexico for a two-year liberal arts degree while working part-time with the Veterans Service Commission working with veterans’ disability claims. After college Edna joined the National Guard, was transferred to New Mexico, and was told by her drill officer to apply for Officer Candidate School. Edna quickly rose through the ranks from lieutenant to platoon leader to captain. In this interview, Edna speaks in detail about her experience as a Navajo female leader. As of September 2003, when this interview was taken, Edna’s 1116th Trans Company was going to be deployed to Iraq in a few months. Edna herself planned to retire within a year. As of the interview, Edna had served in Wurzburg, Germany; Fort Huachuca, Arizona; Sinop, Turkey; and Fort Detrick, Maryland. She had also (at time of interview) been awarded an Army Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Southeast Asia Service Medal, and Primary Leadership Development Ribbon. A transcript of this interview is available.

publisher:

Military Women's Memorial Foundation

contributor:

Scott, Kate M.

date:

2003-09-27

type:

Audio

format:

CD

identifier:

034; 2003.034

source:

CLIR - Recordings at Risk

language:

English

relation:

255349

coverage:

1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 1985-present

rights:

Unrestricted