Veteran Spotlight: Army Reserve Sgt. Rachel Hailey

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Rachel Hailey served her country in the Army Reserve with humility and intense pride as a sergeant from 1999 to 2008. 

 

Born in Roxbury, she grew up in the small town of Middleborough and did her basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. 

 

"I went in at 17 1/2 and had to get parental consent," she said. "I went to basic four days after my high school graduation, June 14, Flag Day and the Army's birthday. ... It was a whirlwind, met a couple of people in basic that I still keep in touch with."

 

She would be sent to technical school the following year while she was on active duty.

 

"After tech school I came home and was with the 94 [Regional Support Command] unit. I was a musician, a flute player, and only one other person with my MOS [Military Occupational Specialty] was close to me," Hailey said. "I was really proud. I always took my music serious in high school (she was an all-state musician and won numerous awards). I loved putting on the uniform and being a source of morale for our troops. We did all patriotic songs — that was our whole mission." 

 

Any highlights stick out? "The 4th of July Parade. For annual training, we would go on tour all over the country and lots of older veterans would cry and get emotional," she said. "It was so patriotic and emotional seeing them. One 4th of July, there was an F-16 flyover. I was never so proud in my life."

 

I asked Sgt. Hailey if there was a defining moment of her service and she offered this: 

 

"9/11 without question. My first job was to perform as a musician, my second job was MP [Military Police]," she said. "I trained hard like everyone else. We didn't know if we would be deployed or what ... It was a bit scary."

 

Mentors of mentors? "I navigated pretty much on my own but there were other musicians that I fed off of for comradery and from a creativity standpoint." 

 

Her thoughts on leadership? "I kind of wish that everyone served to get that experience: self-discipline, motivation and respect, in an important way," Hailey said. "Timeliness for me was always a necessity, and the pride factor, so important. I was pressed and dressed for everything I did, from head to toe. It wasn't about me, it was about honoring the uniform — it was something

bigger." 

 

Her thoughts on being an Army veteran? "I've always had sort of a quiet pride," she said. "I still have friendships from service that are lifelong. No matter what happens in the political spectrum, I can look back and say that I did my job and did it with pride." 

 

Sgt. Hailey holds a degree from Johnson & Wales University and is the executive chef for the Berkshire Food Project. 

 

Highly skilled, she was named Best Chef of Charlotte, N.C., in 2011 and is a classically trained pianist, and plays the guitar, flute and piccolo.

 

Sgt. Rachel Hailey, thank you for your service to our great country.