By Kelly Flynn

At Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, Angelica Sowynn is living out a mission that bridges her past and present. An Army veteran and current Red Cross program manager, Angelica is deployed as part of the North Carolina region’s Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) team, bringing comfort, connection and critical support to U.S. service members far from home.

"I still get to serve the community that I was in the military with, which is such a privilege, through the Red Cross," Angelica said.

Originally from northern Michigan, Angelica enlisted in the Army at age 17, serving eight years in both the Michigan Army National Guard and the 82nd Airborne Division. Her military career included jumping out of planes and coordinating medical operations on drop zones. Today, she continues to serve in a civilian role that keeps her deeply connected to the military community.

Angelica’s days are full and varied. From coordinating emergency communication messages across the Middle East and Europe to organizing 5Ks and wellness activities, she and her team ensure deployed service members have access to both vital services and moments of respite.

"We deliver all over the Middle East and Europe. So even though we are in Kuwait, I am delivering messages to Poland, Bahrain, Qatar, Lithuania, Africa," she said.

Her team includes four Red Cross employees and a diverse group of volunteers, including active-duty military, reservists, contractors and foreign nationals. Together, they create a welcoming space where people can relax and reconnect.

"They come in, they leave their rank at the door… they get to be who they were back home," Angelica said. "They still get that sense of normalcy."

Community is central to Angelica’s experience. Whether it’s chatting with volunteers, joining guitar lessons or sharing meals prepared by a fellow volunteer, Angelica finds joy in the connections she’s made.

"One of our volunteers made these incredible little sandwiches and she just brought it to me while I was in the middle of working," Angelica said. "Just her little treats that she makes, that’s a huge luxury."

Angelica has an adventurous spirit and enjoys riding motorcycles when she’s back home. On deployment, small comforts like fairy lights in her housing unit or reading a favorite book help make it feel a little more like home.

Angelica’s passion for public health and her desire to make a difference led her to the Red Cross. She was drawn to the organization’s deep ties to the military and its commitment to supporting service members and their families.

"When I was at Fort Bragg, I didn’t know about all of these programs," she said. "I thought about how beneficial it would have been to the soldiers that I led. I want to have this job so that I can show all of the things that we do to assist."

One moment that stands out from her deployment involved helping a service member navigate an emergency message under difficult circumstances.

"We ended up lowering that obstacle for him so that he could get home," Angelica said. "He was incredibly thankful."

Angelica understands that stepping into a role with Service to the Armed Forces can feel overwhelming at first. She encourages others to take it one step at a time and lean on the support of the Red Cross community.

"It’s daunting. But there’s a saying… ‘How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time,’" she said. "You realize that you have a great community. You have a lot of support."

She also encourages volunteers to bring their passions to the mission.

"If someone sits down with me and tells me what it is that makes them passionate, I can find a way to turn that into something that can really help serve our military community."

The American Red Cross has supported military members and families for well over a century. Today, we continue to care for the humanitarian needs of the U.S. military community, from the time a service member takes the oath to when they navigate life as a veteran.

Each year, the Red Cross assists more than 220,000 military and veteran families through emergency communications, financial assistance, behavioral health workshops, hospital support and more.

To learn more, visit https://www.redcross.org/about-us/our-work/military-families.html?srsltid=AfmBOorGQ2_m2AkXICDe_evCi2SfwzezHah1I-opy03YTpxamj3iJE-i