Soldier served in the military for over a decade with a huge secret that she kept ‘very’ hidden from her battalion… but, as landmark bill passes, she reveals how she finally dropped the bombshell revelation

A successful military officer who once won the ‘Soldier of the Year’ award for her leadership and achievements, kept a big secret throughout her military career.

Karen Holmes enlisted in the Maryland Defense Force as a corporal in 2011 and over the next five years rose through the ranks, earning coveted awards.

But for almost half a decade, Holmes kept quiet about her big secret: she was transgender.

When she joined the Force, the military policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” had only just been abolished, so she was concerned about how others would perceive the truth.

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” passed in 1994 under the Clinton administration, prohibited LGBTQ soldiers from openly identifying with their comrades, potentially resulting in discharge.

Karen Holmes enlisted in the Maryland Defense Force as a corporal in 2011 and over the next five years rose through the ranks and earned coveted awards

Holmes, who joined the force just two months after the policy was repealed, said “the transition period in the years that followed while he served … was challenging.”

At the time, she didn’t know how the other soldiers would react to her transgender identity and was afraid she would come out.

“I just didn’t know what the reaction would be,” she said WTOP.

“I kept it very secret.”

In 2001, Holmes began working for Americorps, a government agency that provides volunteer services to people in difficult situations across the country.

Her impressive work for the organization caught the attention of the Maryland Defense Force, who recruited her to serve in a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) rodeo.

Early in the onboarding process, Holmes feared that recruiters would discover she was transgender.

“After I transitioned — having to hide who you are — I was afraid someone would see me,” she revealed to WTOP.

But for nearly half a decade, Holmes kept her big secret: she was transgender

“What if someone knew I was transgender?”

Fortunately, she was able to undergo a medical examination by her GP and show her passport, which showed the name she had changed since birth.

After Harris was accepted into state service, she began her career as a lowly corporal, but quickly rose through the ranks, attracting the admiration of other service members, who had no idea she was transgender.

During her time with the organization, she joined the Color Guard team and led several teams, whose members followed her orders.

Holmes’ outstanding performance caught the attention of the Maryland State Guard Association, which named her NCO Soldier of the Year.

In 2013, Holmes received national recognition and was honored as “Solider of the Year” by the State Guard Association of the United States.

At the time of the award ceremony, Brigadier General Brian R. Kelm said, “Sgt. Holmes perseveres despite all obstacles in her efforts to complete a mission. She is well deserving of this honor and continues to impress us.”

“What if someone knew I was transgender?” Holmes asked

Holmes said her success prompted many female soldiers to approach her and thank her for representing them on a national level.

“The response I heard with both awards was that the female soldiers came up to me and said, ‘Great job, you’re doing it for us,’ and I said to myself, ‘Yes,’ because that’s in my mind, heart and spirit.”

She continued, “But I also do it for the transgender community, which I can’t talk about because they didn’t want us there.”

When Holmes retired in 2017, she was a staff sergeant.

During a televised interview with Baltimore’s ABC-TV station, Holmes spoke about transgender people serving in the military. At that point, everyone in her command found out she was transgender.

In 2013, Holmes received national recognition and was honored as “Soldier of the Year” by the State Guard Association of the United States

Holmes said the show’s producers had contacted the National Guard, which is supported by the Maryland Defense Force, for comment.

She said her fellow soldiers responded only with support.

Holmes added: “We always support each other. That’s someone you would consider a battle buddy. There’s someone there who will look after you.’

After retiring from the Force, Holmes joined the Veterans Reserve Corps, where she serves as a Chief Warrant Officer.