A self-described risk taker, Alexandria Suthard possessed an exuberant love of languages, foreign cultures and adventure that inspired her to join the Air Force as a public health officer, followed by assignments in the U.S. Department of State. Some unexpected incidents tested her in ways she couldn't have imagined. She shares some of her story with Hazel Diaz.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Alexandria Suthard: I had some very difficult trauma during my service, including sexual abuse.
Hazel Diaz: Would you like to say more about that?
AS: Yes, it occurred in another country. I was in the State Department at the time and I had physical injuries, so I was in a hospital in the Middle East. I also had a high-ranking enlisted officer in my group that committed suicide. Then there were copycat suicides or threats of. It had big ramifications. It was early on in my service. I filed a restraining order and it went to trial. While I was on the witness stand, the line of questioning was trying to make a storyline that I may be an incapable mother because I had a PTSD rating. To me, this was horrifying. This was something that happened, as they say, a normal reaction to abnormal circumstances. It is not normal to have someone in your office shoot themselves in front of your office. It is not normal to be on an IV and unable to walk and have somebody attack you. It makes you a more compassionate mother or parent. I don't care what gender you are. If you have things like this happen to you, it makes you a better parent, in almost all cases, I would say.
Alexandria was able to remember the good she and her colleagues accomplished in the Air Force and in the State Department. In her 40s she became a mom of two lively, energetic boys. Alexandria draws on all of her life experiences to raise them with love and confidence.
AS: So going from this culture to being a mother where you're a nurturer, you have to be their rock. You have to be their protector. You're a point of safety — they have to know what to expect. My boys are really good swimmers. And so yesterday we went to Waimea Bay and we swam and we saw turtles and fish and you know, some others are more risk averse than I am. But I take calculated risks with them and allow them to have their freedom just the way my parents did.
The full interview will be preserved in the Library of Congress. Access the full interview between Alexandria and Hazel at the StoryCorps Archive.
See more local stories from the Military Voices Initiative at hawaiipublicradio.org/storycorps
In June 2022, HPR teamed up with StoryCorps to gather audio conversations from Hawai‘i residents about their military experiences. The Military Voices Initiative provides a platform for veterans, service members, and military families to share their stories. In doing so, we honor their voices, amplify their experiences, and let them know that we — as a nation — are listening. These interviews were facilitated by Hazel Diaz, Isabella Gonzalez, Cole Johnston and Franchesca Peña.
The audio segments were produced for Morning Edition and All Things Considered by John Kalani Zak. He shares his perspective on working with the Military Voices Initiative segments in his producer's notes. HPR and StoryCorps encourage our community to tell their own stories using the StoryCorps app. Learn more at StoryCorps.org.
Local support for this series comes from Hawai‘i Pacific University.
