Black History Month: Bridgette Bell Discusses Acceptance in the Military

Bridgette Bell, 2017 Tillman Scholar and Army veteran, spoke to WUSA9, a Washington, DC news station, as part of a Black History Month tribute to soldiers. Bridgette discussed her own experience with acceptance in the military and how to combat adversity.

“One thing I’ve noticed that has changed since I joined the military a little over 16 years ago would be the fact that there are so many barriers that have been taken down. I have a daughter and she will grow up in an environment where she can be a ranger. Women can lead troops in infantry units. Those things did not exist when I joined,” said Lt. Colonel Bell.

Bridgette is a graduate of West Point, where she started “Do More Together,” an organization to help elevate the stories of Black graduates and continues to work toward helping military personnel and veterans with adequate mental health resources.

“There are some people who were born to be activists. There are some people who were born to run for office and to be lawyers, doctors, all those things. But we all have to find where we truly fit,” Bridgette said. “For me, I am one of the co-founders of Do More Together, West Point’s Black Alumni Organization. We have gone out of our way to build a network of Black grads and supporters.”

Bridgette spoke on her experience in prioritizing mental health and her work toward revolutionizing psychology as it relates to BIPOC individuals, the impact of COVID-19, acceptance in the military, and driving positive change. Earlier this year, she reflected on her experience in our series,Tillman Scholar Voices.