Ellie Baran

Army National Guard officer, Ellie Baran, is considered by some to be the military’s hottest woman. This Iraq veteran has a face model for a magazine cover, but don’t let her beauty fool you. She can also pilot helicopters, rappel from helicopters, and climb ropes with the best of them.

She might not be American Dream Barbie, but Ellie Baran is more than just a pretty face in combat fatigues. She earned a Combat Action Badge during her second deployment to Iraq and is the first woman to achieve such an honor.

Baran was stationed in Baghdad, where she flew missions delivering troops and equipment to the front line. She was once ambushed by insurgents during a night mission, returning fire with her 9mm handgun. The event earned her the title of “America’s sexiest soldier.”