After doing the same job for 16 years, Maj. Tammy Spicer of the Missouri National Guard said she wanted to explore other opportunities.
She'll find them while working in public affairs for the Tampa District of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The longtime spokesman for the Guard, Spicer said she and her family decided to move closer to their relatives.
"I've been blessed to be part of uncountable experiences while I've been with the Guard," she said. "I've seen the worst and the best, and I hope I can apply those experiences to a new field and a new audience."
Spicer served overseas in Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom along with being with troops deployed to help in emergencies across Missouri.
"The passing of Gov. Carnahan saw the Guard play a huge role," she said. "We had the president and vice president in the same location, and we had to make sure things ran smoothly, and they did."
Spicer said every agency is different and has their own opportunities and challenges.
"A lot of my training here will make me well suited for what I face at my new job," she said.
"As government stewards, we are employees of the taxpayers; we serve as a bridge between the general public and the government. The audience we are trying to inform is the public to let them know how their tax dollars are spent."
Spicer's husband, Brad, plans to keep his security specialization office open in Jefferson City and open a branch in Tampa.
"I'll still be a part of the Missouri Guard despite being in Florida, so if they need me I could still come," she said. "I could transfer to Florida if that doesn't work out, but I'm not planning on that yet."