USAF veteran poses as ‘40s pinup model to combat personal demons
Sarah Lamp is featured in the 2024 Pin-Ups for Vets calendar, which was founded by Gina Else. The nonprofit produces WWII-inspired bombshell calendars featuring female veterans as models.
Sarah Lamp reached for the stars when it came to pursuing her dream, and her latest achievement proved to be out of this world.
The United States Air Force (USAF) veteran, physicist and proud "Star Trek" fan is featured as Miss September 2024 in the latest Pin-Ups for Vets calendar.
The award-winning nonprofit, founded in 2006 by California resident Gina Elise, raises funding to support hospitalized and deployed troops. It produces World War II-inspired bombshell calendars featuring veterans as models.
Sarah Lamp, a physicist and mother of four, is featured in the 2024 Pin-Ups for Vets calendar. (Shane Karns Photography)
"It was a feeling of immediate welcoming and comradery from all these women who also served," the mother of four told Fox News Digital. "You’re able to experience and practice a different way to serve."
Lamp is hopeful her photos will inspire others struggling with their mental health. She said speaking out allows her to shine a spotlight on a topic that many feel shame to openly discuss.
"I have anxiety and depression, so doing this calendar was absolutely terrifying for me," the Iowa resident admitted. "But also, at the same time … the purpose for this calendar is far bigger than me. And it will hopefully outlive me in the fact that we will continue to support our veterans after I’m ever in the calendar."
Sarah Lamp wants to shine a spotlight on those like her who face anxiety and depression. (Shane Karns Photography)
Lamp said growing up she was inspired by her father’s love for the military. The patriarch often wore a faded Army green jacket, went through pairs of black combat boots and restored military jeeps.
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"He was born with flat feet and really bad eyesight, so there wasn’t really any way for him to make it in the military," the 40-year-old explained. "He did, however, continue to love the military his whole life, even though he couldn’t serve. … And he loved watching military movies, too. I know it was my dad’s dream to serve."
Lamp said her father made sure she had a "daily dose of ‘Star Trek’" and was always reminded of how proud he was of America.
Sarah Lamp said her father inspired her to serve. (Courtesy of Sarah Lamp)
"He had such a vivid imagination and felt there was something bigger out there, something you could be a part of, to boldly go where no one has gone before," she chuckled. "I felt like I could make that a reality."
Lamp’s brother went on to become an F-16 fighter pilot. Lamp enlisted in the USAF in 2003. Her father died before he could see her serve.
"Cancer sucks," she said.
Sarah Lamp was deployed to Afghanistan in 2016. (Courtesy of Sarah Lamp)
According to Lamp, the many women she witnessed joining the USAF inspired her to enlist. She became a satellite operator with the 3rd Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base (now Space Force Base). Afterward, she earned a scholarship to complete her bachelor’s degree in physics at Washington State University in 2009 and was then commissioned as a second lieutenant.
Afterward, she was stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, followed by Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, from 2012 to 2014. She earned her master's degree in applied physics, focusing on optics.
Pin-Ups for Vets, an award-winning nonprofit, was founded in 2006 by California resident Gina Elise. (Courtesy of Gina Elise)
After Ohio, Lamp was stationed in Los Angeles. She was deployed to Afghanistan in 2016 to Kabul as a NATO contracting officer. In 2017, she was part of the Space Superiority Directorate before leaving the service in 2018.
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"[Being deployed in Afghanistan] was displacing," she reflected. "It was otherworldly. It threw me for a loop. I was half a world away … and I had never been deployed before. And in a place in Kabul at Camp Resolute Support … they had these very high walls to keep you safe from any kind of outside threat, understandably. But it was still a war zone. Even though it was a support mission, there were still attacks going on, whether they were … people shooting up the PTDS [persistent threat detection system] or trying to throw mortars over the wall.
Sarah Lamp admitted returning to civilian life proved to be challenging. (Courtesy of Sarah Lamp)
"It was still threatening," she continued. "But I think the biggest thing that stood out for me was the plight of the Afghan people. I got a harsh reminder of that when the withdrawal happened … [in] Afghanistan. All the difficulties, just living the horrible reality over there, hits home again."
When Lamp returned to civilian life, she faced depression and anxiety and struggled to find her place in the world.
Sarah Lamp left the service in 2018. (Courtesy of Sarah Lamp)
"The military is a huge family," she explained. "It’s a huge support network where all of you have similar experiences and are serving for the same purpose. And then when you’re released back into the civilian world, you’re on your own. You’re alone to redefine it. It’s like a second life."
Sarah Lamp, right, with Pin-Ups for Vets founder Gina Elise. (Courtesy of Gina Elise)
Lamp said she was still serving when she met Elise through a mutual friend and fellow model.
Elise launched Pin-Ups for Vets in 2006 after seeing news articles about underfunded health care programs for veterans. She was horrified by the stories of veterans who had been seemingly forgotten by loved ones, never receiving visitors. And there were those struggling from injuries sustained in Iraq.
Elise, whose late grandfather served in the Army for four years during WWII, wanted to make a difference.
James Oliver 63, who served in the Army from 1967-71, looks over the calendar of Gina Elise during her visit to the Denver VA Medical Center in 2011. (Joe Amon/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
Since its launch, Pin-Ups for Vets has donated over $100,000 to help hospitals purchase new rehabilitation equipment and provide financial assistance for veterans’ health care program expansion across the country. It's in the middle of a 50-state veteran and military hospital tour.
WATCH: USAF VETERAN POSES AS ‘40S PINUP MODEL TO COMBAT PERSONAL DEMONS
During the height of the pandemic, Pin-Ups for Vets shipped care packages filled with gifts of appreciation to hospitalized veterans. It continues to mail morale-boosting care packages to deployed U.S. troops around the globe. To date, Elise and her team have visited over 16,000 ill and injured veterans at their bedsides in 79 different hospitals in 32 states.
"One thing that Gina told me that I liked was the analogy that they’re like the VA’s fairy godmother," said Lamp.
Sarah Lamp with National Guard veteran and founder of Lions Automobilia Foundation & Museum Rick Lorenzen. (Shane Karns Photography)
The 2024 calendar is the nonprofit’s 18th edition and features 13 female veterans posing as classic bombshells from the ‘40s, including Lamp.
"It blew my mind," Lamp said when she saw her sizzling snaps for the first time. "I think it gave me a little bit of confidence in knowing that I could face my fear [about posing] and conquer it."
While it felt good to get dolled up, Lamp said helping other veterans who may be silently struggling has empowered her.
Sarah Lamp said it was an empowering experience to appear in the latest Pin-Ups for Vets calendar. (Shane Karns Photography)
"I think it’s really important for us to continue to try to support the United States in any way that we can," she explained. "And it’s so important to make sure veterans aren’t forgotten.
"You can help in any way you can," she shared. "If … there’s a homeless veterans shelter nearby, maybe you can lend support. If there’s a veterans' kitchen, maybe you can donate some food items. If other veteran assistance programs exist in your area … ask what they need. You can even do a quick Google search in your area, and it’s probably a lot easier too if you’re going to help locally.
Sarah Lamp with Bill Nye the Science Guy. (Courtesy of Sarah Lamp)
"If you know someone who’s in the military and transitioning, it doesn’t hurt to reach out and say, ‘I’m here for you if you need anything,’" Lamp continued. "Just check in every once in a while. People lose their place, and that’s when they’re at the most vulnerable. … If you can help them find the ground underneath their feet, even if it’s just by saying something to them every once in a while, I think that it’s effort well spent."
Sarah Lamp said she wants people to think of the word "resilience" when they see her photos. (Shane Karns Photography)
Today, life is "busy" for the engineer, proud wife and hands-on mom. Lamp hopes when people see her photos in the calendar, they’ll think of the word "resilience."
"Being in the military as a woman, you’re already a minority," she said. "Being a woman in science, you’re already a minority. Battling mental health issues is also a challenge. But putting all of those challenges aside so that you can serve something greater, that’s what I want people to see — resilience."
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