Jennifer Horn was stunned when she saw herself transformed into a glamorous ‘40s bombshell for the first time.
“I thought, ‘That doesn’t even look like me! Is this real?’” the Iraq War veteran gushed to Fox News Digital. “[But] female veterans are out there. We can be a badass on the field, then we can also be feminine.”
The Washington resident is featured in the 2025 Pin-Ups for Vets calendar.
The award-winning nonprofit, founded in 2006 by California resident Gina Elise, raises money to support hospitalized and deployed troops. It produces World War II-inspired bombshell calendars featuring veterans as models.
Pin-Ups For Vets has donated over $120,000 to purchase new rehabilitation equipment for veteran hospitals nationwide. Volunteer ambassadors for the organization have also personally visited over 20,000 ill and injured veterans during their 50-state VA hospital tour to deliver gifts of appreciation.
Horn, a Purple Heart recipient, said, for years, she considered striking a pose for the annual calendar. This time, it felt right.
“My photo shoot was a lot of fun,” said Horn. “They did our hair and our makeup. There were other female veterans there. We were all just talking about our lives and our experiences in the military. … It was camaraderie.
“Pin-Ups for Vets is special to me because it’s a way for female veterans to not only get together and feel beautiful and classy, but the calendars also get sent overseas to troops,” she shared. “And the calendar girls will go to veterans’ homes and present the calendars to elderly veterans. They spend time with them.
“It’s just veterans supporting veterans.”
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It was a cause that hit home for Horn. The model joined the Army in 2002 when she was 19.
“My father had just passed away,” Horn reflected. “He was in the Army. My grandfather was in the Army. My brother was in the Army. So, the Army ran deep in my family. I didn’t know what else I was going to do, and so, I decided to follow in their footsteps.
“My mother was really nervous,” Horn admitted. “She was especially nervous when I went overseas.”
According to Horn, she went to the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) with the hope she would receive an enlistment bonus and be stationed in California, close to her mother and brother.
“The only position that met those requirements was the 63Y tracked vehicle mechanic,” she explained. “So, there I was, a 19-year-old with no prior mechanical skills, heading off to the Army.
“I was stationed at the National Training Center (NTC) in Fort Irwin,” she said. “I worked in the motor pool on M113s, M577s and HMMWVs. I was attached to the HHT 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment ‘Blackhorse’ Opposing Forces (OPFOR) unit. Our mission was to prepare soldiers from across the nation for battle by organizing decisive action training. We took on the roles of enemy forces in several engagement situations.”
Then, in January 2005, Horn’s unit received orders to deploy to Mosul, Iraq. It was known as a “hot spot” for “relentless” attacks.
Horn’s life forever changed on the night of April 16 that year.
“There was a hostile mortar attack,” said Horn. “A mortar blew up pretty close in front of me. I sustained shrapnel injuries from my head to my toe. There was a large piece in my neck and right eye.”
Horn couldn’t see or walk as the attack continued. She had injuries scattered around her arms, legs and chest. Suddenly, a soldier threw Horn onto his back and ran to an aid station.
“There was a risk of me losing my eyesight,” said Horn. “I got sent to Germany. And then I got sent to Walter Reed [Medical Center] for surgery.
“I didn’t understand or realize the extent of my injuries,” Horn admitted. “I was mostly on medication for the pain. I wasn’t all with it until I got … to Walter Reed.”
Horn described her recovery as “long and lonely.”
“My recovery was away from my unit,” she explained. “And my unit was still serving in Iraq. They were my family.”
As Horn healed, she also made history. She became the first female in the history of the HHT 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment to receive a Purple Heart. It was presented to her by General Carter Ham while she was going through physical therapy.
According to the Purple Heart Mission, Horn was also awarded numerous medals and commendations for service, including the Army Good Conduct Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Medal, among others.
“As a woman receiving the Purple Heart, it was an extreme honor,” she said. “I didn’t even know I was going to get a Purple Heart during my recovery. But General Ham came to my hospital room. He said, ‘You know you’re getting a Purple Heart, right?’ I was like, ‘What?’ It’s just an honor.”
Horn said receiving support from fellow veterans was essential to her recovery. And once she was out, Horn was determined to serve in a different way.
“I was at my first stop in Iraq before I started getting medicated heavily,” Horn recalled after the blast. “I just saw [the nurses] running around and doctors hooking me up to stuff. I was scared. So, I asked them what was going on. They were just so busy trying to get me stabilized that they weren’t really explaining a lot. But they kept assuring me, ‘You’re going to be fine. We’ve got you.’ That comfort I felt with them, I wanted to extend that to others.
WATCH: IRAQ WAR VETERAN POSES AS 40S PINUP MODEL AFTER SURVIVING MORTAR ATTACK
“My decision to become a nurse was influenced by the exceptional medical treatment I received after the blast,” she continued. “[The nurses] demonstrated remarkable knowledge, skills and empathy during the toughest time of my life. I felt compelled to pay it forward. I decided to return to school so that I could extend that compassionate care to others.”
Today, Horn holds a bachelor of science degree in nursing. For nearly four years, she’s been working as a nurse in a county jail.
“I work with a unique population — the underserved,” she explained. “So, for me, it’s special. And it’s important to serve the underserved. I can’t wait to become a nurse practitioner so that I can work with veterans.”
Horn is pursuing a master’s degree in nursing to become a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Her goal is to care for veterans who are experiencing mental health challenges.
“When I came back from Iraq, I felt extremely alone,” said Horn. “I kept getting pressured to seek help and go to a counselor. So I did, and I didn’t feel like I got what I needed out of it. I felt, ‘How in the world does this person understand what I’m going through?’ [But we veterans], we do understand. We understand each other. And it doesn’t feel lonely anymore.
“I want to extend that to veterans who are coming back, especially those dealing with combat stress, post-traumatic stress,” she said. “I want to be the person who understands where they’re coming from.”
For those wanting to give back, Horn said a simple “thank you” goes a long way.
“Some veterans don’t like to hear ‘thank you,’” she said. “But you know what? Sometimes people don’t know the exact words to say, but they’re thankful for the service. That alone is special. We appreciate it.”
