Marine Corps veteran Kirstie Ennis’s helicopter crashed in Afghanistan in 2012, leaving her with an above-the-knee amputation, a broken neck, and facial reconstruction. Since then, she added competitive snowboarder and mountain climber to her accomplishments, and recently, she added pin-up model.
Photo of Marine Corps retired Sgt. Kirstie Ennis. (Courtesy of Pin-Ups for Vets).
Ennis is currently climbing the tallest peak in North America — Denali in Alaska — and has already summited Mount Kilimanjaro.
She is the first female veteran amputee to pose for Pin-Ups for Vets, an award-winning non-profit that raises funding for VA hospitals, ill and injured veterans, homeless veterans, deployed troops, and military spouses.
Pin-Ups for Vets just released its 2019 calendar, featuring Ennis and 18 other female veterans:
Female veterans pose aboard the Grey Ghost (Courtesy of Pin-Ups for Vets).
They were photographed aboard the Queen Mary, the same ship that transported 810,000 military personnel across the Atlantic during World War II. The ship, nicknamed the Grey Ghost, was the largest and fastest troop transport ship of the World War II-era, which sailed a total of 661,771 miles.
The female veterans include a linguist; a human intelligence collector; a combat photographer; a combat medic; a motor transportation operator; a heavy equipment transporter driver leading convoys in Iraq; and a candidate for Mrs. America, Army veteran Patti Gomez:
Army veteran Patti Gomez (Courtesy of Pin-Ups for Vets).
The veterans-turned-calendar models said they were grateful to find an organization like Pin-Ups for Vets that would allow them to reclaim their femininity, which had to be set aside during their military service.
“It can be so difficult as a female service member to feel empowered in her beauty without feeling like she may betray the professionalism of her uniform,” said Army veteran Julie Noyes, who called the non-profit “empowering” and “inspiring”:
Army veteran and Iraq veteran Julie Noyes (Courtesy of Pin-Ups for Vets).
“I love that I can be part of a group of extraordinary female vets and also give back to veterans,” said Army veteran Linsay Rousseau:
Army combat photographer Linsay Rousseau (Courtesy of Pin-Ups for Vets).
Pin-Ups for Vets was established in 2006 by Gina Elise as a way to honor the World War II service of her grandfather.
The non-profit has donated more than $58,000 to help hospitals purchase new therapy equipment and to provide financial assistance for veterans’ healthcare program expansion across the U.S.
The 2019 calendar can be purchased at PinUpsForVets.com or by writing a check to Pin-Ups for Vets, PO Box 33, Claremont, CA 91711:
Gina Elise, founder of Pin-Ups for Vets, on 2019 calendar (Courtesy of Pin-Ups for Vets).
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