1st Lt. Felicia Gililland

ehash Cancer survivor, coach and leader

ehash In early 2011, then-Staff Sgt. Felicia Gililland was fighting breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy. Less than six months later, she was acing her PT test and earning her commission. 

ehash Fast forward to today and 1st Lt. Gililland is thriving in her career and still taking time to serve her community.

ehash “Many people think that a major surgery is the end of their career,” Gililland said. “I want people to see that even after something as radical as a double astectomy, that I never let it stop me from being a soldier and continuing my mission.”

ehash On the job, she is executive officer for the 135th Forward Surgical Team in U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, South Korea. She is also a first responder for FEMA and Team Rubicon, a non-government organization that specializes in emergency response. 

ehash Gililland, who is wrapping up her Korea tour soon, also coaches a cheerleading team called Go Rogue, which is comprised of teenagers and named after the powerful X-men heroine.

ehash “A lot of these kids, I’ve seen grown up,” she said. 

ehash This year, Go Rogue raised more than $6,000 for the Yongsan Relay for Life to benefit cancer research.

ehash The lieutenant also operates a cupcake and diaper cake company called Incredible Designs. She donated cupcakes to Seoul American High School’s prom this year and she also donated some sweets for an event at the nearby Philippines embassy. 

ehash Gililland said all the hard work is worth it, and it also helps reduce her anxiety. She said she suffers from post-traumatic stress after working at a combat support hospital in a 2003 deployment to Iraq. 

ehash “Being selected runner up for the Army Times Soldier of the Year means a lot to me,” she said. “I have worked hard supporting my unit and my local community because it is the right thing to do. I just never expected people to notice.”

ehash Assignment: Executive officer for the 135th Forward Surgical Team at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, South Korea. She is days away from reporting to her next role, joining U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. 

ehash Personal: 34 years old and married to retired Master Sgt. Jim Thurman with three children: Brittany (24), James (23) and Dylan (11). Hails from Charleston, West Virginia. 

ehash