The Tham Luang cave rescue mission not only brought attention to 12 boys and their football coach, but also shone a spotlight on Captain Jessica Tait, a US Air Force officer who became a public sweetheart when she appeared as the spokesperson for the 353rd Special Operations Group sent to participate in the rescue operation in Chiang Rai.
The 353rd Special Operations Group is normally stationed in Okinawa, Japan, where the United States has a large military presence.
She stated that during her mission in Chiang Rai her main responsibility was to speak for her teammates so they could focus on their work.
"You need somebody to be a messenger since there were so many media and so much attention. It is essential that someone tell the story."
Commenting on the cave mission, she said the operation was unusual and everyone involved learnt a lot from it.
Capt Tait says that "maximum disclosure, minimum delay" was a critically important aspect of the Tham Luang mission.
"Being able to provide as much information that is accurate and timely is essential because story needs to be told to an interested audience and stakeholders who don't know what is going on," she said, adding that otherwise, stories are going to be made up and people are going to be confused was the case at times during the Tham Luang mission.
Captain Tait said her unit came to support the operation at the request of the Thai government. The main objective of the unit is to create partnerships through exercises and other forms of engagement.
The US Embassy hosted Capt Tait after the cave rescue, where she made a #girlpower video.
"We welcomed Captain Jessica Tait to Bangkok to talk to Thai audiences about the role of women in the US Armed Forces," tweeted US Ambassador Glyn T Davies, "and to describe the US contribution to the Thai-led #ThaiCaveRescue operation. Thanks CAPT Tait!"
In Thailand, the group has joined two Cobra Gold military exercises with its Thai military counterpart, an endeavour important to building stronger ties, she says.
A woman in a man's world
Born in Seoul, South Korea, to a Korean mother and American father, the 30-year-old officer spent the first years of her life in Seoul. When her father, who had been serving in the US Air Force, moved back to the US, she and her family followed.
After graduating from high school in Virginia, she received an Air Force scholarship and went on to earn a degree in Art History before joining the military.
Capt Tait said she has never felt hindered by the fact that she's a woman in what's often thought of as a man's world.
"I wasn't going to change who I was," said the officer, "Even though I was going to be a woman serving [in the military], I was still going to be true to myself in the sense that I wear make-up, I like nice things. I have no problem with that."
Her strong foundations came from her mother, who she says is a very strong Korean woman, and her father, who is extremely proud of his daughter. They helped shaped her mindset and reassured her that there were no barriers to what she could achieve.
"My dad never set any limitations. In my mind, if I want to do something, the only thing stopping me is me, not society or the world," she said.
Capt Tait says she has never felt the need to change who she is to achieve her goals, adding that authenticity and being true to oneself are the keys to success in life.
"I never felt the need to act like a guy, talk like a guy. I felt no need to do that because I think authenticity is more critical to leadership than pretending to be something I'm not," she said.
For young girls aspiring to work in the military, Capt Tait stated they should know no barriers, work hard in school and be passionate about their dreams.
"These girls need to know that in their lives, it is possible to work hard and have a dream. They can achieve whatever they want because anything is possible regardless of your gender and background," Capt Tait said.
Life in the military was once challenging for her, with strict rules and regulations, and rigorous training.
However, Capt Tait says that she soon came to realise that giving up her own personal comforts, at times, was a small price to pay for the satisfaction of making a difference in the world.
