Her poetry is deeply personal, an intimate reflection into the invisible wounds of MST, PTSD, trauma, combat, hardship, and the joys of her Latina culture. Her art has been exhibited or shared nationally at various universities, VA Healthcare systems, conferences, summits, and galleries. One of her poems, “Invisible Veteran” was featured by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2023 at their historic ceremony to announce a more inclusive motto.
She is the co-editor for the Veteran Book Initiative at Blue Ear Books, assisting those who served in writing and publishing their stories. Carrington Firmin is the founder of The University of Texas at San Antonio’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, and the UTSA Top Scholar program. She retired from the United States Air Force as its most senior ranking Latina officer, after leading UTSA’s AF ROTC program to the best in the nation.
Awarded a Bronze Star Medal for efforts in combat as an Expeditionary Mission Support Group Commander in Iraq’s Sunni Triangle in 2004, Carrington Firmin has received many honors and accolades such as the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, 2023 National Latina Symposium Veteran of the Year, UTSA President’s Distinguished Diversity Award, United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce National Latina Leader, Governor of Texas’ Yellow Rose, National Diversity Council’s Trailblazer and Most Powerful and Influential Women in Texas, Texas Diversity Council’s Greater San Antonio LGBT Ally, Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas Trailblazer Award, Distinguished Alumni from Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Community Service Award from National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a Military Writers Society of America book award.
Most recently, Carrington Firmin published a unique autobiography, Latina Warrior, told in a hybrid format of prose, poems, and art. She was published in Military Officer and Latina Style magazines and led a Writing to Heal session during South Texas’ Veterans Health Care System’s Mental Health Summit, lectured at Puget Sound VA Healthcare System and continues to keynote at various events. In 2022, she was featured in Hispanic Executive Magazine, was a participating artist in Uniting US’s From Conflict to Creativity at the Library of Congress. In 2021, two of her poems were featured in a national art exhibit at the Military Women’s Memorial in Washington, DC. Her opinion article Women protecting their country, yet military fails to protect them was featured in the San Antonio Express-News in 2020 and republished by Military Times. Featured in VFW Magazine (June/July 2021), in Military Officer Magazine (October 2021), LatinBiz Today’s Everyday People Make the World Go Round in 2020, on San Antonio’s Movers and Shakers radio show in 2019 and in San Antonio Magazine in 2018. In 2016, Carrington Firmin authored Deploying Leadership: Steady Skills to Serve in Any Environment in the Phi Kappa Phi Forum and authored a book chapter in Adapt and Overcome, Essays on the Student Veteran Experience. In 2013, she co-authored a book chapter about supporting student veterans. Her research, Hispanics: An Untapped Leadership Resource continues its relevancy as she provided expertise and guidance to the AF’s Hispanic Engagement and Advancement Team and to AF ROTC.
Carrington Firmin serves as a member of the inaugural Department of Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (DACODAI), the Department of Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans (ACMV), a member of the Texas A&M University-Kingsville University’s Foundation Board of Trustees, board member of the Hispanic Veterans Leadership Alliance, member of the Military Officers Association of America, the Military Writing Society of America and is a life member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Women Veterans Alliance. She holds the National Diversity Council’s Certified Diversity Professional designation and is a Certified True Colors® Facilitator.                Download Bio Here.