2LT Anne Marie Ward is sworn into the Army with the Oath by her father, COL (R) James J. Ward, on May 17, 2014.
Second Lieutenant Anne Marie Ward has always known that she wanted to serve others and her country, and her experiences at George Mason and in the College of Health and Human Services helped her reach that goal.
Growing up in a military family, Ward lived in several different states and countries, which exposed her to a broad spectrum of people from different cultures, religions, national origins, and experiences.
Ward took that background and received her Master of Social Work in 2014 from George Mason. She also completed Mason’s Army ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) program. Mason’s Army ROTC, the Patriot Battalion, focuses on developing tactical proficiency and cultivating leadership skills in undergraduate and graduate students, so they can pursue careers as Army officers.
“Growing up in an Army family made me who I am today,” she said. “I quickly learned that diversity is a huge strength, and I respect what everyone brings to the table. This appreciation for diversity helps me to be a better leader today.”
Ward has taken her experiences at Mason and her leadership skills to the Army, currently serving in Hawaii with the 25th Infantry Division. She was one of the few women selected for assignment as a military intelligence officer with an initial branch detail tour as a field artillery officer to gain a combat arms perspective.
“I was surprised to be placed in field artillery, especially because I had just earned my MSW and had always planned to do social work for the Army. However, the Army chose me for field artillery, and I gladly accepted the challenge,” she said. “This is an interesting time to enter the field artillery branch. While women have been in field artillery for a few years now, so many more positions within the branch are open to females. There is a big push to have more females in the combat arms branches, and many jobs that were previously closed off to women are now open. I am part of a wave of women entering field artillery, and I am fortunate to have opportunities that females before me did not have.”
Ward is quick to credit Mason’s social work faculty and the ROTC cadre for her ability to pursue her goal of serving her country in the Army and serving others through social work.
“George Mason provided me the flexibility I needed in order to complete Army ROTC and the MSW program at the same time. I was very impressed by the diversity among the instructors’ backgrounds, clinical interests, and work experience,” she said. “Additionally, the mentorship provided by the ROTC cadre was irreplaceable and established the foundation I needed to become the Army officer I am today.”
While Ward is taking full advantage of her service in the field artillery branch and the skills and experience it provides, her ultimate goal is to practice social work, whether in the Army or as a civilian.
“I am really enjoying my time in field artillery, but I miss social work,” she said. “I hope to earn my licensure so that I can be a licensed clinical social worker. For now, my goal is to continue working hard in field artillery and absorb as much knowledge as I can from subordinates, peers, and superiors.”