Abby’s path from deployments to delivering care at J&J

Deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan taught Abby how to make difficult decisions and lead teams under pressure—lessons she's applying today at Johnson & Johnson. Discover why Abby says, "I’ve had a very unconventional path, and I love it!"

Learning leadership on the fly

It's a familiar story: After graduating from college—psychology major, leadership minor—Abby decided she wanted to fly helicopters. Maybe not, but it really is true in Abby's case. Having participated in Army ROTC as an undergrad, she was commissioned after graduation and entered the Army's medical service corps, where she joined the medical evacuation flight program and took to the sky.

This training ultimately brought Abby overseas on yearlong deployments, first in Iraq and then in Afghanistan.

"I was the senior-ranking American on a German post in a remote location in Afghanistan," she recounted.

In this capacity, Abby, with little direct oversight, was responsible for more than 20 soldiers, eight aircraft and millions of dollars in equipment. She had to learn leadership on the fly, so to speak.

"I learned what it means to lead effectively, to represent something larger than yourself, to speak on behalf of your country or an organization," Abby said.

Indeed, Abby was in a mission-critical role, picking up wounded soldiers and transporting them to treatment centers where they could receive care. Faced with significant challenges, she excelled. 

Moving to the private sector—and owning her story

When Abby's second overseas deployment in a combat zone came to an end, she was eager to change gears. She decided to take on new challenges in a private-sector role.

First, however, she'd have to overcome a dilemma many military veterans share: how to tell her story.

"I was struggling to frame my background, leadership experience and skills in ways that were relevant to a business setting," Abby remembered. "You can't just say, 'Look, I led soldiers in combat and managed millions of dollars in equipment overseas—obviously I'll be a great fit for your company.' It doesn't work like that."

With time and a little practice, though, Abby honed her story until she felt like she'd made it her own. One key realization for Abby: "Whether you're doing chemical reactions at a manufacturing site or managing aircraft in Afghanistan, from a leadership standpoint they're really not so different. It’s about the team and the vision."

Abby landed a job supervising chemical manufacturing operations with Johnson & Johnson. And once again, after completing a six-month rotational program in a development role, her career was ready for liftoff.

Applying military training to make life-saving products

Recently promoted to the role of Senior Business Excellence Manager, Abby is happy to report that telling her story today is no problem at all. As she put it, "I’ve had a very unconventional path—and I love it!"

Plus, she’s gotten to see firsthand how her work translates to life-saving products and real-world impact, continuing the service that defined her military career. "In my initial role as Manufacturing Manager, we were producing approximately 75% of the world’s sutures—which is a lot."

Abby continued, "I've realized that leadership is about trusting the experts and the highly capable people around you. If I'm not the smartest person in the room, that's okay. But you have to own it. If something bad happens, I take responsibility for it. If something good happens, I give credit to the team. I'm committed to empowering everyone on my team and giving them a chance to shine."

Since joining Johnson & Johnson, Abby has also been involved with two employee resource groups—one focusing on women’s leadership, the other on military veterans—which she credits as key factors in the success of her transition.

"Everyone here appreciates my military background, and we have a great community of veterans," Abby said. "We're all passionate about leadership and getting the job done. The values of Johnson & Johnson really align with the values of the military."

Join our community of veterans today

Ready to join Abby and our thriving community of military veterans to make a positive impact in the lives of people everywhere? Learn more about our support for the military-connected community and military-connected recruiting.

Finally, be sure to sign up for our Global Talent Hub. It's an easy way to stay in touch, learn more about life at Johnson & Johnson and even get updates about jobs that might interest you in the future.