*Article from Greet Battle Ground & Hockinson‘s June 2026 issue”
Written by Summer Sorensen, writer at summersorensen.com
You may remember Donna Prigmore from Greet Battle Ground & Hockinson’s cover story last year — the retired Air Force Brigadier General who made history as the first woman to command the Oregon Air National Guard, the culmination of her 38-year military career. We wanted to check in to see what she’s been up to.
The short answer? Quite a lot, and all of it intentional.
Retirement, Reimagined
Donna has given a lot of thought to what it means to retire well. She notes that many high achievers stumble in retirement because they haven’t thought it through. The identity that once came with a uniform or a title doesn’t follow you out the door — and that can be humbling. Donna’s antidote is giving back, staying connected, and living deliberately.
She recently wrapped up an adjunct faculty contract at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and is leading seminars for AmeriCorps as well as other organizations under her leadership consulting business. Teaching leadership is a passion, and her approach builds on trust, transparency, accountability, and the courage to have hard conversations. Donna adds, “I believe leaders are servants. And as such, we (as leaders) need to do all we can to take care of the people under our charge.”
Answering a New Call
In one of the most meaningful pivots of her post-retirement life, Donna is pursuing chaplaincy training to serve families in North Clark County experiencing sudden tragedies — the kind that arrive in the form of a 911 call. Her goal: to ensure that no one faces their darkest hour alone. She notes that TIP (Trauma Intervention Program) has a limited presence in North Clark County.
Adventures Underway!
True to her belief that “life is fragile and there’s no sense in waiting to create memories,” Donna has been filling her passport. A recent “trip of a lifetime” river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest visited the Rhine, Main, and Danube through Germany, Austria, and Hungary. A visit to Maui added warm-weather contrast.
Family Milestones
This year also brings some joyful family news. Her oldest son, Nathan, a Captain with the Vancouver Fire Department, and his wife are expecting a baby boy in August. And her youngest son, Brian, a first-year orthopedic surgery resident at the University of Utah, is getting married in September. Donna, it seems, is as busy as ever — and loving every minute of it.
We’re glad to have Donna Prigmore as a neighbor. She’s a reminder that the work of remarkable people doesn’t stop when the uniform is hung up.
