Crystal’s life took a dramatic change in 2007, when she received a Red Cross message that her mother had hung herself. When Crystal returned to her overseas military duty from emergency leave, she was informed that her tour of duty had been extended. Worse yet, for the next seven months, she faced repeated situations of sexual assault by a person who held a leadership position in her own unit.
During one transport, she and her team (two Air Force RNs, a Navy Corpsman and an Army medic) responded to an accident on the Capital Beltway, providing emergent care and safely transporting the injured to the nearest civilian facility. Lyndsey and her team were recognized for their actions and she was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal.
