I’m Ashley Ehasz, a U.S. Army veteran and Apache helicopter pilot.
I grew up in Southeastern Pennsylvania and joined the Army at 17 in order to have the best option for an affordable education. The Army gave me the opportunity to serve my country — the very country that had always saved me when I needed her most growing up.
If elected, I would be the first woman serving in Congress to have graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
My upbringing was not an easy one.
I come from a loving family, but we faced many challenges, including mental health problems, substance abuse, and financial instability. Because of these struggles, my family moved around frequently during my childhood, which made me crave security and hope for a better future. I joined the U.S. Army right after high school as a way to create opportunities for myself and to serve our country following the September 11th terrorist attacks. I always sought stability and structure for myself and my family, but I also had a deep passion to bring those same things to the world.
From there, I was stationed in Fort Bliss, Texas, with the 4th Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment. I served as a platoon leader in both a line unit and an aviation maintenance unit, deploying to Kuwait under Operation Spartan Shield. After my promotion to Captain, now as the battalion logistics officer and pilot-in-command, I deployed once again to Kuwait and Camp Taji, Iraq, with Operation Inherent Resolve. I then commanded two aviation troops, including an aviation maintenance troop, with the 1st Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment out of Fort Riley, Kansas, from where I also deployed to South Korea in 2017.
After my service, I used my G.I. Bill to get my Master’s degree from the University of Oxford. During the pandemic, I worked as a policy writer and project coordinator to implement the CARES Act for county government and now serve as a government and public service sector consultant.
As a woman who commanded in the military, and as someone who understands the sacrifices public service so often requires, I am battle-tested and ready to solve the problems we face every day, and I will be an outspoken advocate for those struggling the most.