Jessica Lynch
Jessica Lynch from Palestine, West Virginia, an Army Veteran and former Prisoner of War (POW), joined the Department of Veterans Assistance in April 2024 and serves as the Administrator of the Woman Veterans Program.
The experiences of women serving in the military are often substantially different than the experiences of the men serving alongside them. Often, they prefer to speak to another veteran woman about their claims. Lynch leverages her first-hand knowledge of the VA Health Care and Benefits systems gained in the more than twenty years she has used these services to reach women veterans and ensure that they receive all of the benefits they earned during their service.
Lynch served in the 507th Maintenance Company as a supply specialist. On March 23, 2003, while deployed to Iraq, her convoy was ambushed. Lynch, severely injured, along with five other U.S. soldiers, were taken prisoner. She was held in captivity for nine days until her rescue on April 1, 2003. She participates in physical therapy and continuing medical procedures through the Veterans Health Administration to treat her injuries from that event.
Lynch speaks to audiences throughout the United States about her experiences as a POW, delivering a message of strength and hope to veterans organizations, corporations, and other organizations. She also works as a substitute elementary school teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and a Masters in Communications Studies.