The Untold Strength of the Non-Combat Soldier | Lorrena Black | TEDxDetroit

Quick Overview

Lorrena Black, an Army veteran and founder of She Served LLC, shares her personal story of feeling undervalued in her non-combat military role, contrasting the public perception of soldiers with the reality of support roles, and advocates for recognizing the essential contributions of those who support missions from behind the scenes, like those in HR and communications, urging leaders to notice and value these unseen strengths.

Key Points: Lorrena Black served 25 years in the Army, rising from Private to First Class before commissioning as an officer, serving in non-combat roles like Human Resources and the AG Corps. She notes that 80% to 86% of military roles are non-combat, yet the public image focuses on war heroes, leading to feelings of being 'less than' among support personnel. A senior leader once questioned her commitment because she hadn't deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, highlighting the stigma against non-combat roles. Black started her company, She Served LLC, to support veterans and their families, focusing on the unseen work required to keep missions going. She quotes 1 Corinthians 12:22, stating that the weakest and least important parts of the body are actually the most necessary, equating this to non-combat roles. She stresses that leaders must actively look for, thank, develop, and value the strength demonstrated by those who support missions from behind the scenes, such as those in HR and communications. The talk advocates for a shift in perspective to recognize that strength is not solely defined by combat experience (like charging forward), but also by sustained support (like standing strong behind the scenes).

Context: Lorrena Black, introduced as an Army veteran and the Founder & CEO of She Served LLC, delivers a TEDxDetroit talk addressing the often-overlooked contributions of service members in non-combat roles. She draws on her 25-year military career, which included serving in Human Resources and the AG Corps, to challenge the common perception that only those in direct combat are true heroes, arguing that support roles are essential for mission success.