This week Jennie Taylor accepted a position that many would label as intimidating, including herself. Jennie was sworn in as the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for the state of Utah at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. on Tuesday.
Jennie's husband Major Brent Taylor was killed while serving in Afghanistan on November 3rd in 2018. Major Brent Taylor was also the former mayor of North Ogden. Jennie and her seven children keep Brent alive in their everyday conversations. Jennie says they have and will continue to carry out Brent's legacy. This week, Jennie embarked on a new journey of her own.
"I hung up the phone and burst into tears... like I don't know what else is going to be asked of me and my family," she said.
"To walk around, to meet, several generals, to be inside the pentagon, living in a history book," she said.
Jennie received a phone call about the proposed position in September of 2019.
"The gentlemen who held the position was retiring, my name came us as a possible replacement. I thought there is no way I can do this... I don't even know what it is," she said.
Jennie decided to accept the offer, and just a few months later, found herself at the Pentagon making a promise to defend the constitution on the United States. She said she wouldn't have been able to do it without her family...and Brent.
“I'm all in with my heart. My kids are supporting me, my parents, my husband's parents, and we will do this together,” she said.
“We keep him alive in every conversation, we joke about him, we ask what would he think about this or that billboard, or that food we were served at the luncheon? We try to really keep him a part of it. I hope that my kids realize that my service is just a continuation of their father's service, which is really just family service and I couldn’t do it without them just like Brent couldn’t do it without us.”
Jennie Taylor said she is looking forward to the journey ahead of her and will continue to carry out her husband's legacy while creating her own. Jennie's job description is to provide advice and support to army leadership and service members. She will remain in Utah and will head back to Washington DC at the end of February for the CASA national training conference.
