M. J. Hegar

When Hegar was seven years old, her mother, Grace, moved her and her sister from Fairfield, Connecticut, to Cedar Park, Texas.{{rp|16}} Hegar grew up in Cedar Park,{{Cite news |last=Prengel |first=Kate |date=25 June 2018 |title=MJ Hegar: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know |work=Heavy.com |url=https://heavy.com/news/2018/06/mj-hegar/}} where her mother remarried to a Vietnam veteran, David Jennings, when she was ten.{{rp|14–15}}

Hegar was her high school class president, on the cheer squad, and played various sports, including soccer.{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Courtney E. |date=1 March 2018 |title=MJ For Texas Is Not Your Average Congressional Campaign |language=en |work=Refinery29 |url=https://www.refinery29.com/mj-hegar-profile}}

In 1999, Hegar received a BA from the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied criminology, sociology, philosophy, and world religions. While an undergraduate, she was Vice Wing Commander of Detachment 825 AFROTC and Deputy Commander of the Arnold Air Society. In 2015, she graduated from Leadership Austin Essential Class.{{Cite news |date=2015 |title=Essential Alumni: 2015. MJ Hegar |work=Leadership Austin |url=http://leadershipaustin.org/about/essential-alumni/}} In 2016 she received an Executive MBA, also from the University of Texas at Austin.{{Cite news |last=Ransom |first=Danielle |date=Fall 2017 |title=To the Rescue: Mary Jennings "MJ" Hegar, MBA '16 |language=en |page=43 |work=McCombs |publisher=McCombs School of Business |url=https://issuu.com/mccombsschoolofbusiness/docs/mccombs_magazine_fall_2017/43}}

In December 1999, Hegar was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force through ROTC at the University of Texas. From April 2000 to March 2004, she served on active duty as an aircraft maintenance officer. Initially stationed at Misawa Air Base in Misawa, Aomori, Japan, she was later stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base near Knob Noster, Missouri. At Whiteman, Hegar worked on the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the B-2 Stealth Bomber. Her maintenance career culminated in responsibility for 75% of all B-2 maintenance as a captain and selection as the Company Grade Officer of the Year for 2003.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}

In 2004, the Air National Guard selected Hegar for pilot training. Upon completion of her training at the top of her class, she served two deployments to Afghanistan as a HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter pilot, flying Combat Search and Rescue{{Cite news |last=Tedeschi |first=Diane |date=April 2017 |title=She Just Wanted to Fly |language=en |work=Air & Space Magazine |publisher=National Air and Space Museum |url=https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/she-just-wanted-fly-180962398/}} on over 100 missions{{Cite news |last=Amanpour |first=Christiane |date=20 July 2018 |title=MJ Hegar, US Air Force Pilot |language=en-us |work=Makers: Women Who Make America |format=Video |url=https://www.makers.com/videos/5b4f97c734f69d5b2cf006c6}} as well as Medevac missions as a helicopter pilot.{{Cite web |title=A war hero is running for Congress, and she just dropped one of 2018's best political ads.|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/06/22/war-hero-and-democrat-m-j-hegar-draws-attention-house-ad-texas-john-carter/725512002/ |website=USA TODAY}}{{Cite news |last1=Penn |first1=Nathaniel |last2=Levitt |first2=Danielle (photography) |date=23 April 2013 |title=Natural Born Killers |work=GQ |url=https://www.gq.com/story/united-states-military-women-gq-may-2013}}{{Cite news |last=Green |first=Airman 1st Class Jessica |date=10 December 2009 |title=Airman Returns Home with a Purple Heart |work=Air National Guard |url=https://www.ang.af.mil/Media/Article-Display/Article/436067/airman-returns-home-with-a-purple-heart/}} As a member of the California Air National Guard, she worked as a pilot and trainer at the San Jose-based Counterdrug Task Force from 2007 to 2011.

In addition to the deployments to Afghanistan during the Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan, Hegar flew marijuana eradication missions, suppressed wildfires with buckets of water on cargo slings, performed pilot duties in evacuating survivors from hurricane-devastated cities, and rescued civilians on civil search and rescue missions in California and at sea.

On July 29, 2009, on her third tour to Afghanistan, Hegar and her co-pilot were shot down near Kandahar while on a combat search-and-rescue mission.{{Cite news |last=Schapiro |first=Rich |date=18 February 2017 |title=Air National Guard vet fights for women's rights in U.S. military after heroics in Afghanistan |work=New York Daily News |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/air-guard-hero-fights-women-rights-u-s-military-article-1.2976342#}} She received shrapnel wounds in her arm and leg from Taliban ground fire, but her helicopter was able to rescue the soldiers it had been sent to help. Under further heavy fire, her helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing. Other U.S. Army helicopters rescued her, her team, and the other soldiers, but because the rescue helicopters were small and full, she and others had to fly out standing on the skids.{{Cite news |last=Green |first=Airman 1st Class Jessica |date=11 December 2009 |title=Airman helps rescue 3 injured warriors during battle in Afghanistan |work=United States Air Force |url=https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/118300/airman-helps-rescue-3-injured-warriors-during-battle-in-afghanistan/}}

Hegar was awarded the Purple Heart in December 2009. Her actions on this mission earned her the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor Device, awarded in 2011.{{Cite news |last=Green |first=Senior Airman Jessica |date=9 November 2011 |title=Heroes recognized for lives saved |work=Air National Guard |url=https://www.ang.af.mil/Media/Article-Display/Article/435809/heroes-recognized-for-lives-saved/}} She was one of the few women to receive this medal after Amelia Earhart.{{Cite news |last1=Kurková |first1=Karolína (introduced by) |last2=Lane |first2=Diane (narrated by) |last3=Hegar |first3=Major Mary Jennings |date=26 February 2018 |title=MJ Hegar at American Valor |work=American Veterans Center |format=Video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBwzw-Ai90Q}}{{Cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Megyn |last2=Hegar |first2=Mary Jennings |date=22 March 2018 |title=Veteran Opens Up About Her Career And Running For Congress |work=The Today Show |publisher=NBC News |format=Video interview |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz5YschPxzw}} In 2016, she described a 2007 mission to medevac a child in great detail in a TEDx Talks presentation.{{Cite news |last=Hagar |first=Mary Jennings |date=28 April 2016 |title=Follow Your Heart Because It Knows You Best: Major Mary Jennings "MJ" Hegar at TEDxGreatHillsWomen |work=TEDx Talks |format=Video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGnjlHbhnmg}}

Due to the restriction of the Combat Exclusion Policy on women applying for ground combat positions, and because she was medically disqualified from flying due to a serious back injury sustained during the 2009 mission,{{Cite news |date=12 March 2017 |title=Meet the hero vet who fought the Taliban while battling sexism |work=New York Post |url=https://nypost.com/2017/03/12/meet-the-hero-vet-who-fought-the-taliban-while-battling-sexism/}} Hegar transitioned out of the Air National Guard and became a Reservist Liaison.

In 2010, Hegar relocated to Austin and worked as a program manager at Seton Healthcare Family until 2015. From 2015 to 2017, she worked as a consultant at Dell Computers.

Hegar has taught at the University of Texas at Austin's McCombs School of Business and in the ROTC and women's studies departments.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}} She has mentored cadets at UT{{Cite journal |last=Campos |first=Michael |date=30 November 2010 |title=My First Combat Dining-In |url=https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/afrotc/_files/pdf/Longhorn_Airman/Longhorn_airman_IV_2and3_part2.pdf |journal=The Longhorn Airman |publisher=AFROTC Detachment 825 – The University of Texas at Austin |volume=IV |page=7 |access-date=22 July 2018 |archive-date=7 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407101049/https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/afrotc/_files/pdf/Longhorn_Airman/Longhorn_airman_IV_2and3_part2.pdf |url-status=dead }} and has served on the AFROTC Advisory Committee.

In March 2017, the Berkley Books imprint of Penguin Books published Hegar's memoir, Shoot Like a Girl, in a new military division called Caliber.{{Cite news |last1=Gross |first1=Terry |last2=Hegar |first2=Mary Jennings |date=2 March 2017 |title=A Purple Heart Warrior Takes Aim At Military Inequality In 'Shoot Like A Girl' |language=en |work=Fresh Air |publisher=NPR |format=Audio interview includes partial transcript |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/03/02/517944956/a-purple-heart-warrior-takes-aim-at-military-inequality-in-shoot-like-a-girl}} In 2016, it was announced that the movie rights to the book had been optioned by TriStar Pictures, with Angelina Jolie reportedly in negotiations for the lead role.{{Cite news |last=Ford |first=Rebecca |date=24 June 2015 |title=TriStar Nabs Military Memoir 'Shoot Like a Girl' (Exclusive) |language=en |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tristar-nabs-military-memoir-shoot-802446}}{{Cite news |last=Ford |first=Rebecca |date=30 September 2016 |title=Angelina Jolie in Early Talks for War Drama 'Shoot Like a Girl' |language=en |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/angelina-jolie-early-talks-war-934276}}

On July 6, 2017, Hegar announced that she would run for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Representative in Texas's 31st congressional district. In May 2018, she won the nomination. In June, Hegar released a short-form political ad, "Doors", that described her military career, including being shot down in Afghanistan. The video went viral and drew the attention of celebrities like Lin-Manuel Miranda.{{Cite news |last1=News Anchor |last2=Hegar |first2=MJ |date=25 June 2018 |title=Veteran candidate's ad for Congress goes viral |work=CNN |format=Video interview |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IAzno9S5FY}}{{Cite news |last=Cohrs |first=Rachel |date=25 June 2018 |title=Texas Democratic U.S. House candidate MJ Hegar's life story as campaign ad goes viral |language=en |work=Dallas News |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2018/06/25/texas-democratic-us-house-candidate-mj-hegars-life-story-campaign-ad-goes-viral}}{{Cite news |last=Walsh |first=Michael |date=26 June 2018 |title=Democrat's viral campaign video could be trouble for tea party Republican in deep-red Texas |work=Yahoo! News |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/democrats-viral-campaign-video-trouble-tea-party-republican-deep-red-texas-100034567.html}} In the November election she lost to Republican incumbent John Carter, who received 50.6% of the vote to her 47.6%; it was Carter's narrowest win in his nine elections to Congress.

On April 23, 2019, Hegar announced that she was running for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 United States Senate election in Texas for the seat held by John Cornyn.{{Cite news |last=Jechow |first=Andy |title=Air Force Veteran MJ Hegar Is Challenging Texas Sen. John Cornyn In 2020 |publisher=KUT-Austin |url=https://www.kut.org/post/air-force-veteran-mj-hegar-challenging-texas-sen-john-cornyn-2020}} She came in first in the March 3, 2020, primary with 22.37% of the vote, and won the July 14 runoff against Texas state Senator Royce West, who had received 14.7% of the primary vote.{{Cite news |last=Svitek |first=Patrick |date=March 3, 2020 |title=MJ Hegar, Royce West head to runoff in Democratic primary to challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn |publisher=The Texas Tribune |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/03/mj-hegar-royce-west-take-early-lead-democratic-primary-senate-race/}}

Hegar's campaign received the endorsement of former president Barack Obama on September 25, 2020.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-25|title=Barack Obama endorses MJ Hegar in U.S. Senate race against Texas incumbent John Cornyn|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/09/25/barack-obama-endorses-mj-hegar-in-us-senate-race-against-texas-incumbent-john-cornyn/|access-date=2020-09-28|website=Dallas News|language=en}} Her campaign focused on her support for the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), protecting individuals with preexisting conditions, and creating a public health insurance option.{{Cite web|last=Wermund|first=Benjamin|date=2020-09-25|title=In Texas, Cornyn v. Hegar is epicenter of battle over coverage for preexisting conditions|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/In-Texas-Cornyn-v-Hegar-is-epicenter-of-battle-15598318.php|access-date=2020-10-07|website=HoustonChronicle.com|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Where Texas' Democratic Senate Candidates Stand on Health Care|url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/where-texas-democratic-senate-candidates-stand-on-healthcare/2317033/|access-date=2020-10-07|website=NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth|date=24 February 2020 |language=en-US}} Cornyn won the election, 54% to 44%.[https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/2020-texas-election-results/story?id=73573017#senate Texas 2020 election results], ABC News, November 3, 2020. Occurring during 2020, which saw historically high turnout, Hegar received 4,888,764 votes.

Shortly after the 2009 mission in which Hegar was wounded in Afghanistan, she was medically disqualified from flying. The military's Combat Exclusion Policy automatically excluded her from applying for ground combat positions that would have moved her military career forward. She was barred from cross-training for a ground combat position (such as a special tactics officer) despite her expertise as a pilot, which had it not been for her gender would have been a next step.{{Cite news |last1=Simon |first1=Scott |last2=Hegar |first2=Major Mary Jennings |date=26 January 2013 |title=Maj. Hegar: A Woman Who Has Already Seen Combat |language=en |work=Weekend Edition Saturday, NPR |format=Audio interview with transcript |url=https://www.npr.org/2013/01/26/170336325/maj-hegar-a-woman-who-has-already-seen-combat}}

In 2012, Hegar was the lead plaintiff alongside former U.S. Marine Corps Captain Zoe Bedell, U.S. Marine Corps First Lieutenant Colleen Farrell, U.S. Army Reserves Staff Sergeant Jennifer Hunt, and the Service Women's Action Network (SWAN) in a lawsuit against U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta asserting that the Combat Exclusion Policy was unconstitutional.{{Cite news |last1=Thomas |first1=Gillian |last2=Leveille |first2=Vania |date=4 April 2017 |title=Hegar, et al. v. Panetta: The Legal Challenge to the Combat Exclusion Policy |work=American Civil Liberties Union |url=https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_document/combat_exclusion_factsheet-plaintiffs-4-4-17-final.pdf}}{{Cite news |last=Henderson |first=Peter |date=27 November 2012 |title=ACLU sues over policy barring women from combat |language=en |work=Chicago Tribune |agency=Reuters |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/11/27/aclu-sues-over-policy-barring-women-from-combat/}} Hegar said the suit was about military effectiveness and would give military commanders a larger pool of applicants. The lawsuit failed, but the policy, implemented in 1994, was repealed in January 2013.{{Cite news |last1=Bumiller |first1=Elisabeth |last2=Shanker |first2=Thom |date=23 January 2013 |title=Pentagon Set to Lift Ban on Women in Combat Roles |language=en |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/24/us/pentagon-says-it-is-lifting-ban-on-women-in-combat.html}}{{Cite book |last=MacKenzie |first=Megan H. |title=Beyond the Band of Brothers: The US Military and the Myth That Women Can't Fight |date=2015 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-107-62810-6 |location=Cambridge, England |pages=58–63 |chapter=2. The disintegration of the combat exclusion in Iraq and Afghanistan: Legal challenges |oclc=914235926}}

In 2011, Hegar married Brandon Hegar, whom she knew from high school. She and her family live in Round Rock, Texas, a suburb of Austin. She has two sons as well as stepchildren from her husband's previous marriage.

Hegar has many tattoos, which were prominently featured in her 2018 viral campaign ad, "Doors."{{Cite news |last=Zernike |first=Kate |date=14 July 2018 |title=Forget Suits. Show the Tattoo. Female Candidates Are Breaking the Rules. |language=en |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/14/us/politics/women-candidates-midterms.html}} She has said that the cherry blossom tattoo on her shoulder was a way to cover up shrapnel scar tissue, to take control and make the wounds beautiful. In her book, she mentions being sexually assaulted by an Air Force medic during a physical exam.{{Cite news |last=Recio |first=Maria |date=9 December 2017 |title=M.J. Hegar isn't your father's congressional candidate. Here's why. |language=en |work=Austin American-Statesman |url=https://www.statesman.com/article/20171209/NEWS/312099857/}} The ad also discussed the domestic violence perpetrated by her father against her, her mother, and her sister during her adolescent years.{{Cite news |last1=Tiefenthäler |first1=Ainara |last2=Zernike |first2=Kate |last3=Buhre |first3=Maea Lenei |last4=Tabrizy |first4=Nilo |date=14 July 2018 |title=These Ads Reveal How Women Candidates Are Changing Campaigns |work=The New York Times |format=Video |url=https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000005994805/these-ads-reveal-how-women-candidates-are-changing-campaigns.html}}{{Cite news |last=Cottle |first=Michelle |date=26 June 2018 |title=Opinion: Democrats Appealing to the Heart? Yes, Please |language=en |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/opinion/democratic-party-advertisements.html}}

• 2008: California Aviator of the Year
• 2009: Air Force Association, Outstanding Airmen of the Year{{Cite news |date=30 November 2009 |title=129th Outstanding Airmen of the Year, Officer and AFA award winners announced |work=129th Rescue Wing, Air National Guard |url=http://www.129rqw.ang.af.mil/Media/Article-Display/Article/447275/129th-outstanding-airmen-of-the-year-officer-and-afa-award-winners-announced/ |quote=Aviator: Capt. Mary Jennings, 129th RQS |access-date=22 July 2018 |archive-date=7 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407094852/https://www.129rqw.ang.af.mil/Media/Article-Display/Article/447275/129th-outstanding-airmen-of-the-year-officer-and-afa-award-winners-announced/ |url-status=dead }}
• 2013: Foreign Policy, The Leading Global Thinkers of 2013 – with Zoe Bedell, Colleen Farrell, and Jennifer Hunt{{Cite news |date=2013 |title=The Leading Global Thinkers of 2013: Mary Jennings Hegar, Zoe Bedell, Colleen Farrell, and Jennifer Hunt - For shattering the brass ceiling |work=Foreign Policy |url=http://2013-global-thinkers.foreignpolicy.com/hegar}}
• 2015: Army Women's Foundation Hall of Fame, inductee
• 2017: Merrimack College, Honorary PhD of public affairs{{Cite news |date=20 May 2017 |title=Master's Graduates Urged to Never Give Up |language=en |work=Merrimack College |url=https://www.merrimack.edu/live/news/4024-masters-graduates-urged-to-never-give-up}}
• 2018: American Red Cross Metro New York North, Exceptional Service Award{{Cite news |last=Hegar |first=Mary Jennings |date=29 April 2018 |title=Exceptional Service Award: Mary Jennings Hegar - Red and White Ball 2018 |work=American Red Cross Metro New York North |format=Video

|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFTbdUjr1bs}}

• {{Cite news |last=Hegar |first=Major Mary Jennings |date=27 November 2012 |title=Women Warriors Are On the Battlefield. Eliminate Outdated, Unfair Military Combat Exclusion Policy |language=en |work=American Civil Liberties Union |url=https://www.aclu.org/blog/womens-rights/women-warriors-are-battlefield-eliminate-outdated-unfair-military-combat}}
• {{Cite news |last=Hegar |first=Mary Jennings |date=14 December 2012 |title=Letters to the Editor: Breaking into the military's 'band of brothers' |language=en |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/breaking-into-the-militarys-band-of-brothers/2012/12/14/f116b3a4-43e1-11e2-8c8f-fbebf7ccab4e_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130413071548/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-12-14/opinions/35847565_1_combat-units-combat-positions-ground-combat|url-status=live|archive-date=13 April 2013}} – in response to retired Army Major General Robert H. Scales opinion piece of 6 Dec 2012 in The Washington Post
• {{Cite news |last=Hegar |first=Mary Jennings |date=15 February 2013 |title=Making a case for females on the front lines |work=Houston Chronicle |url=https://www.chron.com/opinion/outlook/article/Making-a-case-for-females-on-the-front-lines-4282492.php}}
• {{Cite book |last=Hegar |first=Mary Jennings |title=Shoot Like a Girl: One Woman's Dramatic Fight in Afghanistan and on the Home Front |date=2016 |publisher=Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC |isbn=978-1-101-98845-9 |location=New York |language=en |oclc=935676913}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{Cite book |last=MacKenzie |first=Megan H. |title=Beyond the Band of Brothers: The US Military and the Myth That Women Can't Fight |date=2015 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-107-62810-6 |location=Cambridge, England |pages=58–63 |chapter=2. The disintegration of the combat exclusion in Iraq and Afghanistan: Legal challenges |oclc=914235926}}
• {{Cite news |last=Hegar |first=Mary Jennings |date=28 April 2016 |title=Follow Your Heart Because It Knows You Best: Major Mary Jennings "MJ" Hegar at TEDxGreatHillsWomen |work=TEDx Talks |format=Video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGnjlHbhnmg}}
• {{Cite news |last1=Gross |first1=Terry |last2=Hegar |first2=Mary Jennings |date=2 March 2017 |title=A Purple Heart Warrior Takes Aim At Military Inequality In 'Shoot Like A Girl' |language=en |work=Fresh Air |publisher=NPR |format=Audio interview includes partial transcript |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/03/02/517944956/a-purple-heart-warrior-takes-aim-at-military-inequality-in-shoot-like-a-girl}}
• {{Cite news |last1=Kurková |first1=Karolína (introduced by) |last2=Lane |first2=Diane (narrated by) |date=26 February 2018 |title=MJ Hegar at American Valor |work=American Veterans Center |format=Video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBwzw-Ai90Q}} – starts at 1:15

{{commons category}}

• {{Official|https://www.mjfortexas.com/}}
• {{C-SPAN|69682}}
• [https://www.aclu.org/cases/hegar-et-al-v-hagel Hegar et al. v. Hagel] at ACLU

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Category:1976 births

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:United States Air Force personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections

Category:Candidates in the 2020 United States Senate elections

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Category:Living people

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