Remember me. Photo By Sgt. Tyler Main Sgt. She is one of 15 female sergeants major filling some of the highest enlisted posts in the Marine Corps. She changed out of her crisp service uniform and into work clothes and served as a bulk fueler, carrying heavy hoses and ensuring Marines got the fuel they needed to get the job done. She flourished as leader in a field dominated by men, and if she ever had doubts, the Marines she followed and led, were again not aware. Today she is a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a Marine Corps sergeant major.
She is one of 15 women sergeants major filling some of the highest enlisted posts in the Marine Corps. This is how she got there. When I told my mother I wanted to join the Marines, she was not very happy. I had an older brother who enlisted in the Marine Corps several years before me. He did not want me to join either. I guess he saw how female Marines where looked at, or it was because I was his baby sister.
The first time I saw a true female Marine was in recruit training. I have since run into my drill instructor at conventions and other events, and she is always so proud of the fact I am a sergeant major. Proud of what I have accomplished. Being a bulk fueler was very physical. We were always outdoors. We had our own way of doing things. Out of the two bulk fueler companies in Camp Pendleton there was maybe only four women.
I was one of two women in my company. One of the biggest obstacles I faced was when I became a corporal. As a Marine you never want someone to see you struggle or sweat. If I ever had any doubts or concerns wherever I went or whatever I did it was internal. I would give my self-check, and I would confidently make a decision and execute.
Knowing my job made the difference and the presence I presented was what led to my success. When I met my husband, he was a combat engineer in another company. He was a corporal. I was a private first class. When I first met him we became great friends and he has stuck with me through all these years.
