Warrior Profiles
SSgt Melinda Smith
Retired, Financial Management and Comptroller Journeyman
A little about Me
Retired Staff Sergeant Melinda Smith joined the Air Force Reserves in 2010 as a Financial Management and Comptroller and was responsible for processing and verifying military pay orders, ensuring proper pay and entitlements are paid to stateside & deployed members, and keeps 911AW members personal information and accounts secured. During her deployment to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar in 2014 she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis which left her with quadruple vision and paralysis on her left side. She was medically evacuated and spent the next several months receiving physical and occupational therapy. It was during this time she attended an Air Force Wounded Warrior adaptive sports event and was introduced to sports as a way to stay active and get healthy. She says, “AFW2, and the people I have met through this program, have helped me with things I thought I couldn’t do anymore. This has allowed me to have new experiences and give me more things to be happy about.” Melinda lives by the idea that you should always strive to take one more step forward, even if you have to fall two steps back in the process.