2026 Deborah Sampson Award Recipient Truc DeCoste

The Deborah Sampson Award proudly recognizes a Female Veteran who has gone above and beyond to serve her fellow Women Veterans throughout the year. The Deborah Sampson Award is presented to the recipient at the annual Women Veterans Appreciation Day Ceremony
Truc DeCoste smiling in front of the USA and Massachusetts flag

About Truc DeCoste 

Truc DeCoste is an Air Force veteran, first-generation Vietnamese immigrant, mother of three, and the wife of an Army National Guard veteran. Her commitment to service began long before her own military career. Her grandfather, an American soldier, fought and died during the Vietnam War, leaving behind her father. Through the Amerasian Homecoming Act in the late 1980s, her family was given the opportunity to immigrate to the United States in pursuit of a better future. Raised with a deep belief in service, sacrifice, and the American dream, Truc became a United States citizen shortly after high school and later chose to serve in the United States Air Force in honor of her grandfather’s legacy. 

As an Airborne Cryptologic Linguist specializing in Persian Farsi and Persian Dari, Truc studied at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California before deploying to Kandahar, Afghanistan from 2011 to 2012. During her deployment, she flew more than 150 combat sorties aboard the MC-12W as a Tactical Systems Operator. After active duty, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Massachusetts Boston and continued serving for more than five years in the Massachusetts Air National Guard as an Intelligence Analyst. 

Dedicated to continued service beyond the military, Truc spent five years supporting veterans and military families through the Home Base Program, where she served as Director of Outreach and Special Projects with a focus on underserved veteran populations. In January 2025, she joined the Office of the Veteran Advocate as the Southeast Regional Liaison, working collaboratively with agencies and community organizations across the Commonwealth to ensure veterans and their families receive access to the care, resources, and benefits they have earned. She also serves as a volunteer coach for FourBlock, helping veterans and military spouses successfully transition into meaningful civilian careers. 

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Date published: June 12, 2026

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