Courtesy Photo | (Photo courtesy Misty Barr) Retired Army Staff Sgt Misty Barr is a Fort Campbell,...... read more read more
Subscribe
FALLS CHURCH, Va.- After watching what happened in this country on Sept 11, 2001, Misty Barr knew she wanted to help Soldiers. “I decided to join the Army and support the warfighter. “Little did she know she’d meet her future husband in the Army and have a lifelong career, once out of uniform, supporting Soldiers.
Barr is a Transition Coordinator at the Fort Campbell, Kentucky Soldier Recovery Unit. The retired Soldier and military spouse feels she has the trifecta for helping Soldiers. “I do wear a lot of hats where the Army is concerned,” she said, explaining she was a Soldier, a military spouse, and yes, a Soldier who was in the SRU. “I was a Soldier in Transition. In 2012, while stationed in Germany, after giving birth to my daughter, I got very sick shortly after that. They sent me to the Fort Knox Warrior Transition Unit. I didn’t know what that was until I got there.”
Like most Soldiers, Barr felt the SRU may not be for her. “I was sick, but I thought it was for more severe Soldiers. I did feel odd being there at first.” She quickly discovered that the SRU was for her. After going through the program, she also found she wanted to continue serving Soldiers after her life in the Army.
While recovering at the SRU she worked as an assistant in the career and education area. “From there, I built relationships and did the job as best I could. When a position opened up for a Transition Coordinator, I applied and got it.” That was ten years ago. Barr served 11 years on active duty and as a reservist before becoming a Transition Coordinator.
Barr uses her experience as a Soldier with deployments under her belt, as a military spouse, and as a Soldier in the SRU to connect with Soldiers and their families. “When you’ve been in someone else's shoes in the SRU or combat, you can meet that person where they are. That’s my job. It allows me to talk to them one-on-one and begin that relationship-building to help Soldiers and their families. Once you establish that relationship and they open up, you can really help,” said Barr, who stresses the importance of Soldiers connecting with their TC for any assistance.
As a TC, she takes pride in being able to help spouses too, especially of wounded, injured, or ill Soldiers, because her husband is a combat-wounded veteran. “A lot of spouses don’t understand certain aspects of the military. Because I've worn the uniform, I can help in my spouse/civilian capacity to translate, help spouses understand better, and assist them as best I can. I watched my husband go through a lot of stuff, so I can help Soldiers and families in transition peel back the onion layers.”
Barr says every Soldier has a unique story, and she loves being able to help them paint a new picture of their future. Her unique story continues to benefit Soldiers and families. “I wouldn’t change a thing even though I went through hard times. I always ended up where I wanted to be, and I know I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be right now.”
| Date Taken: | 03.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.07.2025 09:04 |
| Story ID: | 492174 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, When you’ve been in someone else’s shoes, by MaryTherese Griffin, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
