Sisterhood Spotlight

As a former Navy helicopter pilot and a Navy spouse and now a military mom, you have a unique perspective on military life. How have these roles influenced your understanding of the challenges faced by military families?

I have been on both sides of this issue as an active duty servicemember as well as a military wife. My biggest advocacy area since being elected to Congress is quality of life for our servicemembers and their families. The U.S. House Armed Services Committee, which I am proud to serve on, recently released a report on areas of improvement for our military communities and I was proud to use my unique perspective to help craft these important recommendations. The major areas that were highlighted in our report include: pay and compensation, spouse employment, childcare, housing, and healthcare. I have experienced challenges in each of these topics during my time in the military and as part of a military family, and I look forward to implementing commonsense solutions to prioritize the warfighter and our military families.

Women in the military often encounter unique experiences. How did your time as a woman in the U.S. Navy shape your outlook, and what words of encouragement would you offer to young women interested in pursuing military careers?

One of the most rewarding experiences of my life was being winged as a Naval Helicopter pilot. I attended Boston University on a ROTC scholarship and selected naval aviation when I was commissioned as an Ensign. When I graduated in 1993, it was the first year women could fly in combat and I quickly knew that was what I wanted to pursue. The Navy was a great job where everyone was focused on the mission and working as a team. I still value those things to this day. I would say dream bold and follow your passion because the military offers a wide variety of careers and opportunities.

How do you encourage and inspire the next generation, particularly young women in military families, to stay strong and pursue their dreams?   

The life of a military family is often not easy. It involves significant time away while on deployment and increased responsibility at home for spouses and children. The one constant though is the resilience of our military community and their willingness to step up and help one another. When I got out of the Navy, I used my GI bill to go back to school while my husband was deployed, and I studied to become a Nurse Practitioner. It took sacrifice and patience but I was able to achieve the goal after years of dedicated work. It meant long nights and unique schedules but I knew that the outcome was worth the work and I found a path to succeed.

What resources or support systems do you recommend for veterans, military families, or those transitioning from military to civilian life to help them navigate challenges and find community?

Virginia has become a leader in supporting our veteran communities. The Commonwealth has continued to support great programs such as Skill Bridge and Virginia Values Veterans (V3) which help service members transition to civilian life after their tenure is complete. I was also proud to establish a military spouse liaison position in Virginia during my time as State Senator. One of the first things I worked on after being elected to Congress was ensuring our VA system is providing adequate and quality healthcare to our large veteran population. We found some shortfalls in our initial review but have worked diligently to address them to ensure good healthcare outcomes for those who served our great nation. I remain grateful for the opportunity to advocate for our veteran populations in DC and appreciate the emphasis that our Governor and First Lady have placed on keeping our veterans right here in Virginia.

About Jen Kiggans

Congresswoman Jen Kiggans is proudly serving Virginia’s Second Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which includes Virginia Beach, the Eastern Shore, part of Chesapeake and Southampton, Isle of Wight, Suffolk, and Franklin City.

Jen is a proud Navy Wife to her husband Steve, a retired F-18 pilot, and mom to their four amazing children who motivate her every day to fight for a stronger future for Virginia and our nation as a whole.

Prior to serving Virginians in public office, Jen served as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Navy and worked in our nation’s healthcare system as a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner, serving America’s aging population.

Jen was winged as a Naval Aviator in 1995. She served our nation for a total of 10 years as a helicopter pilot flying H-46 and H-3 helicopters, completing two deployments to the Persian Gulf. As a former Navy helicopter pilot, Navy spouse, and now Navy Mom, Jen is a tireless advocate for the military community and is a strong voice for them in Congress.

After serving in the U.S. Navy, Jen used her GI Bill benefits to go back to school and become a board-certified Adult-Geriatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. A graduate of Old Dominion University’s Nursing School and Vanderbilt University’s Nurse Practitioner program, Jen has worked in several long-term care and nursing facilities in Virginia Beach and Norfolk in addition to serving as a primary care provider for a small private practice in Virginia Beach.

After years of growing frustration listening to politicians on the evening news and watching as division and negative rhetoric derailed legislative progress on issues important to her family and her community, Jen took her experience of working with a team to accomplish the mission at hand to Richmond. She served three sessions in the Virginia State Senate, where she successfully championed legislation to establish a Military Spouse Liaison and advocated for patients, families, and caregivers in long-term care facilities.

Jen comes to Congress determined to bring civility and competence to politics – something she believes is severely lacking in all levels of government – and provide Virginians with the strong, independent leadership in Washington they deserve.

Jen, Steve, and their four kids live in Virginia Beach with their dog Chloe, cat Zoe, and bird Barbie.