LOS ANGELES – Christina Pascucci was standing in the middle of a disaster zone just three days after raising her right hand and swearing in as a California State Guard.
The veteran journalist and Los Angeles native did not expect to be activated so quickly. But when flames engulfed the Palisades in early January, Pascucci, who had signed up to serve as a volunteer communications officer, was called into action. She stepped forward without hesitation, despite being pregnant, having a toddler at home, and wearing a respirator.
“I’ve always appreciated the military and wanted to do more,” she told me. “It was really in my heart to serve.”
Pascucci, who was sworn in as a Warrant Officer 1 on January 4, was a member of the newly formed ARC communications team, a small, modern task force charged with improving public awareness and emergency response messaging for California’s military arm.
However, as the Palisades fire erupted, what was supposed to be a gradual buildup of capabilities turned into real-time crisis communications. The ARC team of three to five people moved from planning to execution overnight.
“We were aiming to change what people think of when they hear ‘government communications,'” Pascucci told CNN. “We reached 1.5 million people on social media in a matter of days.”
Pascucci’s responsibilities included embedding with a variety of units, including aerial firefighting crews and the Joint Task Force Rattlesnake, a collaboration between Cal Fire and the California Military Department. She also reported from the field, where teams were building emergency reservoirs to catch debris and divert mudflows following the fire.
Her appearance in uniform drew public attention. The commanding general of the State Guard publicly praised her efforts, describing her as a “secret weapon” in raising awareness and recruiting new members. Following her deployment, more than 250 people applied for the Guard, a significant increase for a statewide force of only about 1,200.
However, behind the statistics is a personal story. Pascucci, an experienced war correspondent who has previously reported from Ukraine and served with the United States military at Fort Irwin, said she felt a special sense of duty to respond in her own backyard.
That sense of commitment is not new; in fact, while five months pregnant with her first child, Pascucci visited Israel after October 7, where she dodged missiles intercepted overhead by the Iron Dome. “I’ve covered countless tragedies,” she explained. “But when you see your friends and neighbors lose everything-when it’s your own community-it hits differently.”
“I’ve covered countless tragedies,” she explained. “But when you see your friends and neighbors lose everything-when it’s your own community-it hits differently.”
Pascucci said the challenges were exacerbated by a lack of comprehensive environmental testing during and after the fire. Despite the health concerns raised by doctors and first responders, little information about air and water quality was released.
“I spoke to firefighters who were coughing up blood,” she told me. “The N95s weren’t enough. “We had no idea what we were breathing, and we still don’t.”
Pascucci, a new mother with another child on the way, had to balance personal risk and professional responsibilities. She coordinated child care while her husband was away for work, relied on family, and worked unpredictable hours–all while answering the Guard’s calls.
“It took a village,” she explained. “But I knew I had to go.”
Pascucci’s service also emphasized the Guard’s efforts to modernize and diversify its membership. The California State Guard, long thought to be a retirement destination, is now attracting professionals in their 30s and 40s with specialized skill sets. Pascucci’s communications background, combined with her visibility, helped to shift the narrative.
“I was brought in to help show that the Guard is evolving,” she told me.
Despite receiving criticism from an online commenter about how she wore her uniform, which she notes would not have been directed at a male counterpart, Pascucci remained focused on the mission.
She explained that military codes have evolved over time, particularly to better accommodate women, but public perception has been slower to catch up.
“As a new member, I already felt like I had a lot to prove,” she told me. “But this isn’t unique to me. Many women in uniform feel this way.”
Her daughter was present when she was sworn in. Pascucci hopes that one day she will look back at those photos and realize what is possible.
“I hope she asks about my services someday. When she does, I’ll be prepared to tell her.”
“I want her to understand that she can serve if she wants to. That she can contribute to her community in whatever way appeals to her.
Pascucci’s decision to serve, though unplanned, has been transformative.
“Life can continually surprise you,” she said. “And for me, service has been one of the greatest surprises of all.”
