From Sorority to Soldier

1st Lieutenant Ashley Henderson Huff attended UGA from 2000 to 2004 and was an involved member of Sigma Kappa. While watching the 9/11 terrorist attacks on television at the Sigma Kappa house in her room, she turned to her roommate and said "If we go to war, I'm going." Shortly after, she got involved with ROTC and thrived in it. She graduated from UGA in 2004, married her husband in 2005, and was then deployed to Iraq four months later. She did some amazing things in her time overseas. Ashley was instrumental in the development of the Erbil Police Academy plans, working closely with Provincial Director of Police. She was killed on September 19th, 2006 when a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle full of explosives while she was on patrol in Mosul, Iraq. She was 23 and had six weeks left in her deployment. The US Army awarded Ashley with a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and Combat Action Badge. Ashley was the first sorority woman to die in combat. September 19th will mark 10 years since Ashley passed away, but her legacy is still alive and well. Two years after her passing, the Iraqi police unveiled a statue of Ashley at the entrance of the police academy she helped found. UGA ROTC dedicated a study room in their building to Ashley which houses her Army greens, awards, and pictures. As a sorority, Sigma Kappa hosts their Stars and Stripes dinner every year to raise funds for the Ashley Henderson Huff Scholarship for Courage and Patriotism. The scholarship is given to women who are in ROTC, have a connection to the military, or have been affected by an international terrorist attack.

This past Monday was their most successful Stars & Stripes yet! Sigma Kappa wants to thank everyone for their support in honoring Ashley's life. They wrote letters to soldiers, ate some delicious BBQ, and raised $7,000 for the scholarship. The women of Sigma Kappa are forever grateful for their sister's bravery, strength, and selflessness. She is the true example of a sorority woman and they are so proud to share their letters with her.