Meet Shifali Masih, U.S.M.C. — 2021 Veteran

Shifali Masih was born in New Delhi India and came to the U.S. at age three. Shifali grew up in Queens, New York where she attended and graduated from Forest Hills High School. After graduation Shifali enlisted into the United States Marine Corps. On September 9th, 1997, Masih began Marine Corps basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina.

Upon completion of Basic Training Shifali completed Marine Combat Training at Camp Geiger, North Carolina. After completing Combat Training, Shifali attended her military occupational specialty school at Camp Johnson, North Carolina and received MOS 3051.

In April, 1998, Shifali received her first permanent duty station at Force Headquarters Group, 6th Communications Battalion located in Brooklyn, New York. While a Marine Corp reservist, Shifali started her college career embarking on a career in Criminal Justice and commenced her studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Shifali received orders to deploy to the Middle East in January, 2003, for OIF/OEF and had to put her studies on hold. While on deployment, Shifali served as an asset translator/interpreter, translating Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi to help set up government contracts as well as obtaining valuable information from insurgents. Shifali's language skills were in high demand at Camp Commando.

Photos of Shifali Masih, U.S.M.C. (Click the image to begin a slide show)
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During the deployment, Shifali worked many positions including supply, the guard force, communications, intelligence and was attached to Marine Corp Ground Forces from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine grunts with (2/7) as a translator/interpreter. For Shifali, this was a great honor to be able to serve in a way no other female Marine was doing at that time. Shifali returned home from deployment in July, 2003 and went back to college.

In June, 2005, Shifali graduated from John Jay College with a degree in forensic psychology. On June 23, 2005, Sergeant Shifali Masih was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps.

Shifali's Awards and Decorations include:

  • Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
  • Marine Corps Reserve Medal
  • Iraq Campaign Medal
  • Armed Service Reserve Medal
  • Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
  • National Defense Service Medal
  • Presidential Unit Citation
  • Combat Action Ribbon

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Jeff Anderson
CEO/Founder, Rebuilding Warriors