{"id":457,"date":"2025-09-17T23:41:53","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T23:41:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/?page_id=457"},"modified":"2025-10-09T18:09:21","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T18:09:21","slug":"melissa-sias","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/melissa-sias\/","title":{"rendered":"Melissa Sias"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n

US Marine Corps, 1999-2003<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Motor Transport Operator<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Go to full interview<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Biography<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Melissa Anne Sias (Tybor), born December 25, 1979 Amsterdam, NY. A proud mother of two, United States Marine Corps Veteran-Motor Transport Operator-2x MST Survivor\/Advocate, retired chef\/restaurant manager, Artist and small business owner. A long time California transplant who spent years away on active duty, traveling the country, parts of the world, balancing her career, and raising her children. She returned to Upstate New York while juggling divorce, bi-coastal parenting, and life with disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Piloting through extreme adversities, she began experimenting with new and holistic ingredients for her \u201ctherapy salad\u201d. This included traditional methods, as well as adding in equine and writing therapies. It was at this time she discovered the pivotal and life saving role that painting and mixed media would play in her life, therein adding \u201cart therapy\u201d to her regiment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She now utilizes a combination of these mediums and techniques as a healthy way to communicate and ground herself through creative expression; while she navigates the obstacles and complexities that accompany the challenges and limitations related to physical and mental disabilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melissa now spends her days creating art at home, and also with her favorite group-Art4Vets, attending Veterans Writing Workshops, becoming a published writer, and continuing to seek out opportunities for advocacy work through groups like UnitingUs.org-VA Tech Rise of Women in the Military, and grassroots activism with the Wounded Warrior Project. She is a small business owner selling her art and creative works. As well as donating pieces to charitable organizations supporting veterans and persons with chronic illnesses. She is a full time artist, and 100% service connected disabled veteran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

She is a passionate advocate openly speaking out about the misunderstood and unacceptable stigmas relating to the veteran and disabled communities, MST (military sexual trauma) survivors, complex PTSD survivors, adult diagnosed ADHD\/Autism, suicide prevention, addiction\/sobriety\/recovery, and the importance of providing proper care, educational programs, treatment and support-mentally and physically, within our veteran community. Melissa is a powerful advocate visiting Capitol Hill and other leaders to discuss and advocate for legislation pertaining to the future of women veterans and their proper health care and support systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n

Deployment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n