ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER

An Interview with Navy Veteran Shannon Hough, by Michelle DeHaven

At 18 years old, Shannon already knew she wanted to serve. After watching the Gulf War during her junior year of high school, she made up her mind to join the military. College wasn't the path she wanted to take, and when she walked into a recruiting office, the Navy recruiter happened to be the only one there. Just two weeks after graduating high school, she was on her way to boot camp.

Shannon spent her Navy career as a cryptologist working in intelligence alongside the submarine community in Norfolk, an experience she says "changed the entire trajectory of my life." Looking back, she laughs about how young she really was. "No 18-year-old should know some of the things I knew and some of the things I did, because of what I did," she said.

If she could sit down with that 18-year-old today, her advice would be simple: "Don't be scared to ask questions. Ask lots of questions about everything," she said. "Trust your gut. Always trust your gut."

After leaving the Navy, Shannon's commitment to service never really faded. It simply took a different direction. She earned a degree in political science and government before beginning a career in public service that would eventually include work in the Hawaii State Legislature, serving as a mayor, becoming a city manager, and later working as a congressional field representative.

When asked how she managed to build such an impressive career, Shannon's answer wasn't what you might expect. "I always say I don't know how it happened because I really don't," she said. "It's just kind of one thing has led to another."

In California, after living in a community for only six weeks, she found herself frustrated with a local issue. "So I ran for mayor and won," she said with a laugh. That willingness to step forward whenever she saw a need would eventually shape the next chapter of her life.

In 2022, Shannon founded Shield of Sisters, a nonprofit dedicated to helping women who have experienced military sexual trauma move from surviving to thriving through restoration retreats, peer support, and survivor-led coaching.

For Shannon, the organization's mission comes from personal experience. “It is everything I needed to heal from my assault and never was given," she said. "And so I created something that I needed, and it helped me so much that I wanted to pass it on to others."

Today, Shield of Sisters has served more than 200 women nationwide and continues to expand both its restoration programs and its work training military leaders to better support survivors.

Although she was eager to leave active duty, Shannon admits the transition wasn't easy. "I lost that camaraderie that I so desperately needed," she said.

Ironically, it's that same sense of camaraderie she now sees returning through the women who attend Shield of Sisters retreats. "They're inseparable," she said. "I missed that bond... and it's really different and exciting to watch grow." 

When asked what advice she would give veterans preparing to leave the military, Shannon didn't hesitate: "Find a VSO immediately," she said. "Tell your story. Demand to be heard... Get it done immediately."

Looking back over a career that has stretched from Navy intelligence to public office and nonprofit leadership, one thing becomes clear: Shannon never set out chasing titles. She simply kept stepping into opportunities to serve. And, as she puts it, “One thing just led to another”.