Public health major Kaitlyn Bryant juggles motherhood, military service and a full-time college schedule in her quest to become an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). Her ultimate goal? A career in midwifery. To make that happen and support her son, Kylen, Bryant joined the United States Air Force, spending six years stationed at Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mojave Desert, and serving as a Senior Airman. At Edwards, she traded the lush greenery of her native Georgia for endless sun and sand.
“I wanted to travel, but the only place I got to go was California,” Bryant joked. “But I had never been here before that, so I guess I did get to see somewhere new!”
Bryant, 28, has leaned into life as a Matador, supplementing her classes in CSUN’s Department of Health Sciences with plenty of extracurricular activities. She’s actively involved with the university’s Veterans Resource Center and spearheaded the revival of the Student Veteran Organization — she serves as its current president. She is also working with the campus’ Health Opportunities Mobile Health in Mamas and Equity (HOMME) lab, which is Professor Kacie Blackman’s maternal health research lab.
Bryant recently sat down with CSUN Newsroom to talk about her service, her studies and what it means to build community as a veteran on campus.
On Her Service (and Growth) in the Air Force:
CSUN Newsroom (CN): What was your role in the Air Force? What did you do?
Kaitlyn Bryant (KB): My job was security forces, which is like military police for the Air Force. I actually didn’t ask to be a police officer — I went in on an open contract and agreed to take the job that they offered me. I had no prior interest in it, [but] it was very enlightening. I learned a lot about myself, because it’s not something that I ever would have seen myself doing. Now, I feel like I’m more outspoken. I advocate for myself more and for others as well.
CN: What else did you take away from your time in the military?
KB: Resilience. I don’t have any other family here, so it was just me and my son. I was juggling work and being a mom, and I was in school as well — I got my associate [degree] while I was in the military. Any moment in the day that I was able to do some work or write a little bit of a paper, I would do that. As soon as I got my son to bed, is usually when I did my studying.
The Meaning of Veterans Day
KB: [A lot of people will say], ‘Thank you for your service.’ And a lot of times we feel like, ‘Well, I didn’t really do anything,’ because nowadays, most people are not fighting actively in a war. But now, looking back, I do feel like I contributed to something that was a lot bigger than myself.
On Bringing Attention to Women in the Military
KB: There’s not very many of us, and that’s honestly one of the reasons that made me want to do this [interview].
Oftentimes, other women veterans have said when they go to the VA (Veterans Administration) or to some veteran-related resource, [they’re asked], ‘What’s your sponsor’s information?’ [They’re] not expecting you to be the veteran because you’re a woman. So, it’s been very empowering to [say] ‘We’re here, too.’
On Reviving the Student Veteran Organization
KB: We restarted it last spring because it had been inactive for a few years, but I definitely wanted to promote a community, especially for veterans like myself. I’m not from California, so I didn’t know many people here. I’m still meeting people and trying to make friends and just build a community, and I felt like other people might need that as well.
We’re going to the Student Veterans of America (SVA) national convention in January. It’s in Colorado Springs, and it’s going to be my first time going to a conference. So, I’m really excited for that, and I hope in subsequent semesters that it just gets bigger.
According to the Veterans Resource Center, CSUN is home to nearly 500 student-veterans. The Veterans Resource Center (VRC) offers assistance and community to veterans and military dependents on campus and is located in the University Student Union. Events in honor of Veterans Day begin Nov. 9. For more information, check the VRC calendar.
Comments are closed.