Estimated read time: 6-7 minutes
SALEM, Utah County — On March 22, 45-year-old mother of four, Jennifer Hughes realized a long-held goal she never thought she'd reach: joining the Utah Army National Guard.
Hughes, who is also a special education teacher at Salem High School, said an Army recruiter gave a presentation at her school three years ago that reignited her goal to serve her community and nation.
"I've always been in awe of military personnel, police officers and firemen — all growing up — and then, when I graduated, life decisions took me another way," she said. "I got in my car accident and that really changed everything."
In 2001, at the age of 23, Hughes had been driving down a canyon road when she hit some black ice and slammed into a guardrail. The impact caused the rail to go through the passenger door and the driver's side door, trapping her legs between the clutch and the brake.
"When I went to the hospital, the doctor said that they didn't know if I would be able to do the same things that I used to do," she recalled. "That shook everything within me. I made a choice right then and there that I didn't want my accident to stop my life."
Hughes underwent a surgery requiring a metal rod to be permanently placed in her leg, and then had to spend five months in a wheelchair. As the months and years went on, she not only set out to rehabilitate herself enough to live a "normal" life, but to defy the odds stacked against her. She began running and ran her first marathon in 2005 with her husband, finishing in 5 hours, 24 minutes, 44 seconds.
And, even though she said the experience was less than ideal, she kept at it.
One marathon turned into two — and then there was no stopping her. By 2013, she had run a sub-three-hour marathon and set her sights on qualifying for the Olympic trials. Despite missing the mark by a mere 17 seconds, Hughes has been accepted into the elite field of racers in many top races, including running with the top 70 women from around the world at the Boston Marathon. Recently, her performance at the New York City Marathon secured her spot at the 2024 World Championships that will take place in Sydney, Australia.
Serving others and her country
Even with her personal success as an athlete, Hughes said that her heart has always been in the service of others. For the past 15 years, she has been coaching the Salem Hills High School track and cross-country teams, and is also a coach for the Unified Sports team, coaching students with special needs. It was while working with her special needs students that her dream to serve her country was rekindled.
But dreams are one thing, and reality is another. With Hughes' age and medical history, there was a large chance that she wouldn't be able to join the National Guard. In fact, according to National Guard guidelines, the age cutoff is 35 years old. Hughes wasn't one to let odds defy her, so she set out to see if there was a way for her to join — and there was. Hughes' National Guard recruiter Tyler Bishop said that there are exceptions to this rule.
"Traditionally the age requirement is ages 17 to 35, and anything after age 35, there needs to be an exception to policy for the age," Bishop explained. "Regulation says that you can join up to age 42 and that 45 is the hard cutoff."
I want my friends, everyone I work with, and those who I coach and have coached — that it's because of you that I want to be a better person.
–Jennifer Hughes
Bishop further explained that the age cutoff has many factors including service members needing to retire at 20 years and the mandatory age requirement to retire being 64. Hughes would need to sign a waiver stating that she agreed to not receive a full retirement and pension for her service.
After working with many personnel throughout the Guard, and getting the final OK from the governor's office, Hughes was sworn in at an assembly at Salem Hills High School by fellow teacher and National Guard Col. Keir Scoobes, who described her as nothing short of inspiring.
"You know, it's inspiring to have someone like Jen who has had that thought and that feeling for a long time to serve her country … especially not being 22 years old," he said. "It's a testament to just her will and determination to be both strong of mind and strong of body. This summer she'll go off and start her initial training, and I have no doubt that she will be able to run circles around many of the 17- and 18-year-old kids that'll be going through the same training she will be.
Being a positive role model for her daughters
Hughes is a mother to four daughters ages 17, 16, 15 and 14, and she said that they along with her husband have been at the forefront of her mind throughout all of this. She expressed concern about leaving them during her time at basic training this summer, as well as all the worries about a possible impact her enlistment could have on her family. There was something that her oldest daughter said to her that put her worries to rest.
"I've been talking to my kids a lot, and my oldest said, 'Mom, if this is something you really want to do, and you don't do it, I'd be disappointed,'" Hughes recalled. "That has stuck with me the whole time going through this process."
Hughes said that she is excited and scared for the future, while also expressing her gratitude for all the support she has received.
"I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared," she said "I am scared of what lies ahead, scared of the unknown, scared that I won't be strong enough, or that I'm too old, and I'm afraid of what people are going to think of me. I am most terrified of failing. I have so many insecurities but that's also one of my reasons for doing this. I don't want my fears and insecurities to stop me from doing things in life. I love to push myself beyond what I think I am capable of and show people and the youth that you can do hard things and it is never too late to go for your dreams."
"I want (my husband) Corom and my girls to know that I really would not be pursuing this if it wasn't for them and their support," she continued. "When I had my doubts and fears, Corom would talk me through it to help me see that it's going to be OK, and my daughters are amazing young women. I want my friends, everyone I work with, and those who I coach and have coached that it's because of you that I want to be a better person."
Hughes will report to Basic Training in June and then will pursue training as a religious affairs specialist to become a chaplain assistant.
