caption serviceyears laterwork branch birth_place allegiance unit awards battles birth_date rank image article_title name
hester in february 2007 . visiting the u.s. army women 's museum , 2001 -- 2009 , 2010 - present law enforcement officer united states army bowling green , kentucky united states of america 617th military police company 269th military police company silver star army commendation medal iraq war 12 january 1982 sergeant leigh ann hester february 3 2007 cropped.jpg leigh ann hester
 leigh ann hester
leigh ann hester

leigh ann hester -lrb- born 12 january 1982 -rrb- is a united states national guard soldier .
while assigned to the 617th military police company , a kentucky army national guard unit out of richmond , kentucky , hester received the silver star for her actions on 20 march 2005 during an enemy ambush on a supply convoy near the town of salman pak , iraq .
hester enlisted in the u.s. army in april 2001 and is the first female u.s. army soldier to receive the silver star since world war ii and the first ever to be cited for valor in close quarters combat .
