Just as dairy farming is in the blood of so many in the dairy industry, military service was instilled in the blood of Laura Aeschliman.
Aeschliman’s mother, father and two brothers each served in the military with multiple deployments between the family members throughout the years.
Aeschliman’s family raised beef cows and her dad worked on her grandfather’s dairy until it was sold. Which then brought him to managing a dairy a few miles from home, so she grew up in the barn and with animals. She went on to study animal science, and it was during her time in college that she joined the Army National Guard.
She served an eight-year contract with the National Guard, serving a minimum of one weekend a month and two weeks a year. She was called up for multiple state and national deployments, as well as serving as a trainer for one month in Germany for her military occupational speciality.
Growing up in a military family, Aeschliman “inherited that work ethic” and the knowledge that she could “do any type of job,” she said.
Laura Aeschliman comes from a family of service members. Both of her parents and two brothers served in the military. Photo provided by Laura Aseschliman.
As part of her guard service, she was called for winter storm emergencies to help vehicles to safety, rebuild roads after floods and provide safety for riot control in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “Being a member of the National Guard definitely helped me learn how to communicate with different individuals with different backgrounds,” Aeschliman said. “I had to be open-minded to learning and growing, always ready to adapt.”
While Aeschliman has completed her military service, she says she misses the pride that comes from putting on the uniform. Photo provided by Laura Aseschliman
Aeschliman now uses the skill of adaptability as a key account manager for Endovac Animal Health. “In the service, if you don’t know the answer, you say you don’t know and you will find out the answer,” she said. “It’s the same in the dairy industry. If I don’t know the answer, I say so, and I find out the answer. It brings extra value because the customer knows you are not trying to just make a sale; you’re going to be honest and follow up with what you say you’ll do.”
While Aeschliman is happy to have successfully completed her service, she said, “I miss the pride that comes from putting the uniform on.”
“I served our country and followed in my family’s footsteps, standing up for what we believe in as a country,” Aeschliman said.
