v  Duckworth received her bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Hawaii, and her master's degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University in Washington, DC. When Duckworth was deployed to Iraq, she was working on her doctorate in political science at Southern Illinois University.

Tammy Duckworth is a Major in the Illinois Army National Guard, and was a helicopter pilot in Operation Iraqi Freedom. She lost both her legs when a propelled grenade struck the cockpit of the Blackhawk helicopter she was co-piloting.   Duckworth chose to become a  helicopter pilot because it was one of the only combat jobs available to women.

Duckworth has received major endorsements from numerous groups, including the Chicago Tribune, The Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters, and the Illinois Education Association.