Amy Forsythe is an award-winning military journalist who served five combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and has been on assignment on several other overseas missions. Amy started her career as a U.S. Marine combat correspondent at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and currently serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve as Public Affairs Officer.
Her photos and video taken while covering military operations around the world have been featured in numerous international and national media outlets through the years and continues to be used for historical purposes.
Amy is the author of “Heroes Live Here: A Tribute to Camp Pendleton Marines Since 9/11” and volunteers for various veteran service organizations in San Diego. Amy has lived and worked in San Diego County since 1995, serves on several boards, and supports different non-profit organizations around the community.
About Amy Forsythe
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
My husband and I met while serving overseas in Romania. We moved to Guam for my job and adopted a beautiful rescue dog named Schatzie!
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I’m especially proud to have served in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy for more than 30 years. I served five combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and have been on assignment on several other overseas missions to places like Romania, Poland, Germany, and Sri Lanka.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Don’t take “no” for an answer, and remember that ‘risking is always better than regretting.’
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
Hopefully, I’ll be retired from military service and able to devote my time and energy to worthy causes that support our military and veterans, plus anything to help animal rescue organizations.
Amy Forsythe & Our Community
Q: What are a few of your favorite restaurants in our community?
Oceanside has so many great new restaurants down by the beach. Some of my favorites include The Lab Collective, The Switchboard, Commune Coffee, and 127 Social House, located in Fallbrook.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I was first stationed at Camp Pendleton in 1995 and have lived and worked in San Diego County ever since.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
I’ve had to good fortune to meet so many wonderful people in our community through the years while I was working as a reporter. It’s hard to narrow it down to just one, but luckily, there are so many great people who live and work here!
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
I love that San Diego welcomes our military service members and displays its patriotic spirit with Fleet Week, the Miramar Air Show, and the Veterans Day Parade. San Diego is second to none in the country for supporting our military and veteran communities.
Q: If you could choose anyone alive today and not a relative, with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would you meet for this lunch?
Margaret Thatcher, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990…I loved to have lunch and traditional tea with her at a local British pub somewhere in San Diego.
For Fun
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
Of course, Top Gun is one of my favorite movies, and Three’s Company is one of my favorite TV shows.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
My grandmother spent the last few years of her life tracking her genealogy and discovered that her ancestors had documentation as among the original Mayflower people.
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
I remember when Liberty Station was the Navy Training Center, and they completely transformed it into a mixed-use area with so many wonderful shops, restaurants, and places to meet. This is truly a “10 out of 10” community partnership effort to transform an old military base and create a family-friendly environment to preserve the legacy of San Diego while creating jobs and recreational spaces.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
I’m always inspired by my husband, who strives for excellence in everything he does. No shortcuts are allowed, and he reminds us that there’s more satisfaction in relaxing after the chores and tasks are completed.
Q: What community organizations and/or local nonprofits do you admire/support?
Some of my favorite veteran service organizations are the Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial and the Cohen Veteran Network. Their efforts to support our military community are second to none.
Q: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
“Be Bold. Be Brief. Be Gone.” was the mantra of Marine Maj. Megan McClung when she would provide advice to military members when giving media interviews. Megan was killed while serving in Iraq in 2006, and her advice and legacy remain strong by those who knew her.
Q: What Neighborhood do you live in?
Fallbrook
What I love about my Neighborhood:
Fallbrook is a quaint little village in North San Diego County that embodies the California spirit. There are plenty of great wineries, hiking trails, and places to eat. It’s dubbed “The Friendly Village” for a good reason…Everyone is so friendly, and we pride ourselves on supporting local businesses.
Please describe your ideal San Diego weekend:
An ideal weekend in San Diego would include a hike in Torrey Pines, taking our dog the the Del Mar Dog Beach, dining somewhere in Carlsbad or Oceanside, shopping at Liberty Station, and visiting Balboa Park.
Q: Finally, what three words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
San Diego has been my home for nearly 30 years. Some of my favorite memories are looking out the window on the approach to the airport, seeing the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, and knowing how lucky I am to call San Diego “home.”
