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October 31, 2024

 

The day after the tragic September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, Michelle Lewis now Michelle Ried answered a call to serve by enlisting in the U.S. Navy. “When the towers fell, I wasn’t sure exactly how to respond, but I knew I had to do something,” she recalls. Today, Ried is the operations and programs manager at SMU’s Bridwell Library, a role she’s held for eight years. During her four-year Navy tenure, she achieved the rank of E-4 petty officer; earned an honorable discharge; and was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

 

Michelle Ried headshot

 

Growing up in Contoocook, New Hampshire, a small town with limited diversity, Ried’s service in the Navy opened her eyes to a world of different perspectives. “I learned that we can’t define a person by any single attribute. Humanity is complex, and our differences are not as deep as our shared humanity.” These insights became foundational as she navigated both her Navy career and life beyond it.

 

Ried’s empathy and curiosity about people were assets throughout her service. She demonstrated courage and compassion, advocating for a struggling shipmate despite opposition from her commanding officer and offering kindness to a difficult colleague, only to discover they were facing personal challenges. “I learned that people are just people. No matter one’s rank or position, we’re all connected. Even across different customs and tribal identities, we share a fundamental humanity.”

 

Ried headshot at end of bootcamp.

 

 

Transitioning to civilian life after military service posed challenges, as it does for many veterans. Ried worked through this adjustment with the Navy’s Transitional Assistance Program (TAPS), which helped ease her shift to a new identity as a civilian and working mother. She remains in touch with several shipmates and encourages younger generations to consider the military, emphasizing its character-building, inclusive environment where diverse individuals can grow as leaders.

 

Ried (second row, second from left) bootcamp graduation photo with her ship. Groups that graduate together are called “ships.”

 

 

Ried applies the strong work ethic she honed in the Navy to her role at Bridwell Library and actively advocates for expanded women’s healthcare services at VA hospitals, particularly in OB/GYN care. She is now in her second year of graduate school at SMU’s Simmons School of Education and Human Development pursuing a Master of Liberal Studies.

 

Ried (R) with her roommate inside the barracks at Yeoman “A” School base at Meridian, Mississippi after bootcamp in 2002.

 

 

Married for twenty-one years to her husband, Justin, who is also retired from the military, Ried is the proud mother of three: Gabby, 20; Joshua, 18 and Alexander, 13. Her commitment to service and community remains central to her journey, guiding her work and inspiring those around her.