After 10 years in the Army, Kathleen is officially closing the military chapter of her life.

In this episode, Kath reflects on her journey from Clemson ROTC to becoming a Field Artillery officer, deploying to Afghanistan with a Cultural Support Team, and later transitioning into Civil Affairs. She shares the highs that defined her career—operating alongside special operations teams, forming unbreakable friendships, and experiencing the kind of moments that change how you see the world forever.

But this conversation also gets honest about the harder parts of military life: the pressure of being a woman in a male-dominated field, the isolation of leadership, toxic work environments, and the burnout that can come from constantly carrying responsibility for others.

Kath and Kyra talk about the lessons that came from those experiences—learning that nobody really knows what they’re doing at first, that you can’t control how others perceive you, and that sometimes the bravest decision you can make is choosing to walk away from something that no longer serves you.

Now stepping into civilian life, Kathleen shares what comes next: staying connected to service through the Army Reserves, competing on an all-female skydiving team, and pursuing a future in fire and paramedic work out west.

This episode is about closing one chapter, reclaiming parts of yourself that were put on hold, and figuring out who you are after the uniform com

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