Tammy Duckworth

Ladda Tammy Duckworth (born March 12, 1968) is an American politician, military veteran, and disability rights advocate who has served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois since 2017. Born in Bangkok, Thailand, to an American father and Thai mother, Duckworth grew up on military bases due to her father's service as a U.S. Marine. She earned a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in international affairs before joining the U.S. Army Reserve as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot. In 2004, while serving in Iraq, her helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, resulting in the loss of both her legs and partial use of her right arm—injuries that made her one of the first female combat veterans to lose limbs in Iraq. Despite her severe injuries, Duckworth continued her service and transition into public service, initially working as the director of the Department of Veterans Affairs for Illinois before her election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012. Her congressional service was marked by her advocacy for veterans' healthcare, benefits expansion, and support for military families. In 2016, she was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming the first woman to give birth while serving in the Senate when she delivered her daughter in 2018. Senator Duckworth has been a vocal advocate for disability rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and progressive causes while maintaining respect across party lines for her military service and personal resilience. Her career represents a powerful example of overcoming extraordinary adversity and using personal experience to advocate for systemic change. Her legacy encompasses both her military service and her political work advancing the interests of veterans, people with disabilities, and marginalized communities.