Karen served as a Hospital Corpsman with a specialty NEC of Aviation Medicine Technician (8406) from 1993-1997.  She was attached to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Five (VQ-5), initially in Guam until  home port change to Naval Air Station, North Island, San Diego.

Completed Western Pacific deployments to the Persian Gulf on the USS Abraham Lincoln CVN 72 (1995) and USS Kitty Hawk CV 63 (1996-1997) as part of Operation Southern Watch.