As a teenager in February 2003, Beltran enlisted in the
Virginia Army National Guard, primarily for the supplementary tuition assistance. In late October 2005, Beltran was in Iraq as part of the 1173rd Transportation Company. She had been in Iraq for over 10 months by that point and was nearing the end of their mission; her unit's primary duty was providing armed escort for convoys of military vehicles in the country. While heading to a nearby
forward operating base (for the first time) on October 26, 2005, Beltran and several other soldiers from her unit were ambushed by enemy forces using hand grenades, small arms fire, and rocket-propelled grenades. Beltran's vehicle was hit by enemy fire, including rocket-propelled grenades, injuring the driver. As a result of continuing to fight against the enemy even while injured, Beltran was awarded the
Bronze Star Medal with
"V" device, along with a
Purple Heart (for her injury), and promoted to
specialist. Several other soldiers also received Bronze Star Medals for valor; the soldier who was killed posthumously received a
Silver Star. In October 2006, Beltran was promoted to
sergeant. She served with the
XVIII Airborne Corps and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2013. Beltran retired from the Army National Guard in August 2023. ==Personal life==