Deeply inspired by her father, who advanced to the rank of lieutenant commander in the United States Navy after serving for 35 years, Brenda L. Elliott enlisted and served in the United States Air Force from 1982 to 1987 and then in the United States Army as an x-ray technician from 1987 to 2002 before retiring as a high-level contract specialist. Displaying dedication during 20 years of military service brought her repeated recognition, winning a coveted gold cord honor and an award for expert marksmanship. In further celebration of her career accomplishments, Ms. Elliott, a native of Honolulu, Hawaii, now living in Garden Ridge, Texas, has been named to Marquis Who’s Who in America, is a recipient of the publisher’s Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, and is featured in Marquis Magazine and Millenium Magazine in addition to being listed in Who’s Who of Professional Women.
Ms. Elliott ascribes to the idea of treating others the way she would like to be treated and attributes her success to having worked well with people, her caring mentors, maintaining professionalism, being honest with customers, “getting the job done,” and saving the government money when she was a contract specialist focused on non-appropriated fund contracting. She also recalls being of critical service in an assignment with the American Red Cross by helping the government to switch supplies that could have caused a deadly explosion for people being transported by airplane. Ms. Elliott cites serving her country as the highlight and honor of her life and often wishes she was still in the military taking care of troops because she believes there are not enough people who are concerned about them. She is contemplating coming out of retirement within the next few years because she misses working.
Ms. Elliott’s advice to anyone entering the military or any industry is to always be professional, examine as many avenues as possible first, and then never hinder or lose sight of their primary mission. After earning a bachelor’s degree in biology from California State University and starting coursework toward an unrealized master’s degree in contract management from the American Graduate University, her own international missions in the military were many. To name a few, she was an aerospace control and warning systems operator in a mobile ground tact unit. Her German unit, with which she served as the armor and on the shooting team, was the first to ever become operational with NATO within less than 24 hours, she said. Ms. Elliott was proud early in her military career and rank to be the first female to shoot German weapons with civilians and outshoot an army staff sergeant. She also was on the NATO shooting team with their unit, winning the weapons gold cord, the highest honor bestowed by the German military. For her service and prowess, she ultimately wants to be remembered for being trustworthy, hardworking, and able to accomplish her missions.
Since she retired, Ms. Elliott has become a passionate dog breeder, specifically of Pomeranians. She is raising four of her beloved breed and considers them to be her children. She also is raising a bird named Nicky, her African gray parrot that has a vocabulary of at least 1000 words. An avid supporter of arts and entertainment, she frequents the Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre in New Braunfels, Texas, where she loves attending concerts and recently enjoyed the singing of The Texas Tenors. Deeming it important to give back to her community, Ms. Elliott donates needed items to Goodwill and the local food pantry and civically supports causes that are close to her heart, including advocating as a member of the nonprofit Native American Rights Fund.
