Student spotlight: Lindsey M. Kibler

Staff Sergeant Lindsey M. Kibler of Spanaway, Washington, has been named the recipient of the Saint Martin’s University America's Service Heroes Scholarship. The award is given in memory of the many service members who have attended Saint Martin’s University in times of conflict and during peacetime.

Kibler is the University’s fourth recipient of the scholarship. A six-year member of the United States Army, Kibler is currently the senior journalist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 7th Infantry Division. In May 2012, she returned from a 10-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While in Afghanistan, she was wounded by an 82mm recoilless rocket round. The impact of the blast, which landed less than 15 feet in front of her, left her with a concussion and a mild traumatic brain injury. Kibler is currently awaiting Human Resources Command approval for her Combat Action Badge and Purple Heart Medal for this incident which would complement her Joint Service Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, and Joint Service and Army Achievement Medals, each with two Oak Leaf Clusters.

In April 2012, Kibler was selected among her Army Public Affairs Soldiers peers as the Department of the Army’s 2011 Paul D. Savanuck Military Print Journalist of the Year. She also took first-place honors at the Department of the Army level journalism competition in the commentary category. In November 2010, Kibler attended the Warrior Leader Course, graduating in the top 20 percent of her class of more than 320 soldiers, earning honors and placement on the Commandant’s List. She also graduated with honors from Pierce College in October 2010, with Associate of Arts and Associate of General Technology degrees. She is currently pursuing a Bachelors of Arts degree in psychology with a minor in sociology from Saint Martin's University – and as a result of her own experiences in combat as well as observing others during their transition to peacetime environments – is focusing her studies on the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.