From Track Recruit to Security Leader.
Amie Murtha’s Journey of Service Air Force veteran and a Walmart associate
When a United States Air Force Academy pole vault coach arrived at her doorstep to be recruited for track and field, Amie Murtha didn’t see a 13-year journey ahead. She saw a bus ticket to basic training. “He must’ve said something convincing, because I was on a bus to basic cadet training a few months later,” shares Amie Murtha, Risk Intelligence in Walmart’s Global Security Operations Center.
At the time, she figured she’d serve her minimum and move on. But the Air Force changed that calculus.
“I never expected to find my calling, my sense of purpose, and my confidence in leadership,” she shares. “Now I am 13 years in and can’t imagine a life absent of military service.”
Major Amie Murtha is the 188th Wing A2 in Fort Smith, AR, responsible for leading all intelligence-related functions and ensuring alignment with the Air Force’s overall intelligence
missions and objectives. In her civilian capacity, she is the Senior Manager of Risk Intelligence in Walmart’s Global Security Operations Center. She is responsible for identifying potential
security, safety, and reputational risks to the company based upon geopolitical, social, or weather-related issues.
Maj Murtha commissioned as an Intelligence Officer from the United States Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She also has a master’s degree in Intelligence Studies with a focus on Terrorism. Maj Murtha served as a Mission Operations Commander supporting the U-2 mission at Osan Air Base, an Intelligence Duty Officer at the Air Operations Center at Ramstein Air Base, and as a joint exercise planner scripting multicounty intelligence exercises in Israel, France, Germany, and the UK. She served in human intelligence assignments in Washington DC and as a Task Force Officer embedded on a China focused Counterintelligence team at FBI Pittsburgh. She deployed as part of Joint Special Operations Command in Jalalabad, Afghanistan where she focused on eliminating ISIS and Taliban networks. She served as the Operations Officer and Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies at Air Force ROTC, University of Arkansas. Her most recent assignment was the ADO of the 123rd Intelligence Squadron, 188th Wing Air National Guard.
Today, Murtha recognizes how her military framework seamlessly aligns with her corporate mission.
“Integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do are the Air Force's core values that have been instilled in me from the beginning, and they directly parallel Walmart’s core values.” That resonance, she says, helped her land in the right place. “This helped me find a comfortable environment here at Walmart to thrive in among like-minded individuals dedicated to serving others.”
Reflecting on her work as an associate at Walmart and her accomplishments, Murtha points to one in particular.
“One of my proudest accomplishments as an associate at Walmart was working on a risk assessment project related to drones,” she shares. “The risks I identified resulted in operational changes to our drone delivery services as well as the types of drones we sell on Walmart and Sam’s Club shelves.”
The outcome mattered strongly to her because these changes directly aided in her mission to make Walmart the safest place to work and shop. Walmart took notice, and Murtha received Walmart’s ‘Make a Difference’ award for this project, which she shares, “felt great to be recognized for the work I put in.”
Her leadership philosophy took root early thanks to a mentor who blended candor with care.
“When I was a brand-new Second Lieutenant arriving at my first military duty location in Osan, South Korea, I followed the age-old Lieutenant rule, which was to find a strong Senior Enlisted member and absorb all the knowledge you could from them. In my case, I latched onto Master Sergeant Joe Morris,” she recalls of her first duty station in Osan, South Korea. “We couldn’t have come from two different worlds: me, a high school cheerleader from DFW, and him, an avid shoe collector from Detroit, at least 10 years my senior.”
What mattered was his method. “He had an artful way of challenging me when I was wrong and encouraging me when I needed a push in the right direction without ever coming across as condescending or making me feel unequipped to accomplish the mission at hand.”
That experience was defining. For Murtha, he was her first impression of a Senior Enlisted mentor, and it’s that initial positive experience that solidified her dedication to military service. Years later, fate brought them back together in Arkansas, after their active-duty chapters, proof that the bonds forged in service have a way of reappearing when you least expect it.
Air Force Major, flying in the “Gamebird” aircraft in Bentonville, AR.
Transitioning from the military to the corporate world, however, wasn’t simple. Murtha points out a fundamental difference. In uniform your experience is visible. Rank and job skill level displayed on your chest, and new leaders understand your background without a resume.
“The biggest challenge I faced was finding a role that felt comparable to the experience and leadership level I achieved on the military side,” she shares. In the civilian world, that context can vanish. “It is a humbling experience when trying to land a job in the civilian world after hearing a recruiter tell you they are looking for someone with more corporate experience or direct knowledge in the field.”
Too often, she says, the mismatch is about translation. “It can be a lack of education that prevents hiring managers from understanding how our experience runs directly parallel to what they are looking for and can easily be missed when looking at the words on a resume.” And yet, veterans persist. “Oftentimes, military members settle for just ‘getting their foot into the door,’ but then we quickly show what we can do!” For Murtha, effective leadership is grounded in three qualities.
Humility: the awareness that you may not be the most knowledgeable person in the room. Leaders should “lead with confidence, but without the ego.”
Approachability: people need to feel comfortable sharing ideas, raising concerns, and collaborating openly.
Credibility: not just expertise, but consistency. Doing what you say you’ll do, treating people with respect, and earning trust over time. These are not abstract ideals; they’re habits, practiced daily.
Her advice to veterans looking into leadership roles is both practical and empowering.
“You do have the skillset, you do have the experience, and you are equipped to lead,” she shares.
That first step into a new environment can feel intimidating, but she frames it in familiar terms. Treat it like a PCS, new team, new location, different mission set.
“Your fellow coworkers may not be wearing the same uniform as you, but you will find other ties that bring you together and enable you to get the job done…just like I found at Walmart.”
Air Force Major, ROTC instructor at the University of Arkansas, Spring 2023.
From a recruited pole vaulter to a decorated Air Force officer to a security leader shaping safe innovation, Murtha’s through line is unmistakable. As she puts it, “Integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do.” In her story, those aren’t slogans; they’re a blueprint for impact, on the flightline, in the field, and across Walmart’s aisles.