About Me…

43 Comments

I am a Marine staff sergeant currently serving in the reserves after almost seven years on active duty. My MOS is 3043 Supply Administration and while some find it unbelievable, I like my MOS! Right now I’m stuck in a bizarre limbo in which I am a member of a unit because I’m waiting for a pay issue to be resolved, but I can’t drill with them because females are not supposed to be there. Once the issue is fixed and I get my back pay, I’ll be dropped to the IRR or transferred to a new unit.

My first duty station was 7th Communication (Crime!) Battalion in Okinawa, Japan and after that they sent me to Albany, Georgia for a year and a half. While I was assigned to Albany, I deployed to Iraq for six months and worked in the Forward-In-Stores on Al-Taqaddum Airbase issuing out combat-replacement weapons and vehicles. When I got back in 2006, I went to Marine Security Guard school and then I was posted at the embassies in Finland, Honduras, and Egypt. I got off active duty in October of 2009 and joined my reserve unit the next April.

Before I joined the Marine Corps I went to three different colleges, worked at a garden center, did some overseas volunteer work, and a lot of traveling. I was raised in Montgomery County, Maryland and after I got out I came back to the same area and finished my degree. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geographical Sciences with an minor in Arabic. I’m currently working as a part-time GIS consultant at a national non-profit organization.

My main hobbies are reading, writing, photography, languages, and working on my various website and photo projects. I like cheese, bread, chicken, hugs, cats, sharks, books, and throwing snowballs at unsuspecting folks. I don’t like octopuses, brussels sprouts, rye bread, being bored, and being cold. I have two cats: Caroline and Jackie, aka Chubby Cat. (One of my brothers has two cats named Jack and Bobby, a total coincidence)

This journal originally began because I like to write and share my photos. I like to write down the things I do or things that happen to me or things I notice during the course of the day. I am easily amused by little details, like how my grandma keeps a Taco Bell chihuahua sitting on top of her Bible, so I try to write them down and sometimes take pictures of them. Going back later on and reading what I wrote makes me laugh.

The other reason I started this was so faraway friends and family could read it and know what I was up to. Even though I’m back home now, a major reason I try to keep it alive, despite extended periods of slacking off, is because there are so few visible female Marines writing on the Internet.

I used to keep an online journal years ago, years before I ever heard the word blog or knew about blogging software, and I added those entries to this site too. I also have lots of old-fashioned paper journals and I might add some of those one day.

I don’t like the word “blog”.

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43 thoughts on “About Me…”

  1. Hola solo quiero que sepas aunque no me conozcas que te mando un saludo desde Cancún, México y te deseo que tengas siempre un buen dia, sin problemas y que pronto regreses, se que no soy nadie pero desde este lado del mundo alguien ya miro tu blog y te desea lo mejor…saludos y que Dios te Bendiga

    Hugo Ortiz

  3. Hey if you still have my number and can get a hold of me from there call me. Otherwise if you search my name on myspace you should beable to find me. If those don’t work leave a message here and we’ll go from there…..or here whatever.

    get a hold of me Chickbot we should catch up. I have stories to tell.

  5. The plural of octopus is octopi, not octopuses. But I’ll let you off as you’ve got a pretty interesting blog.

    Keep up the writing – you’ve got some good stuff going here.

  9. Hi! I just came across your blog, while i was searching female marines. Not female marine boobies or anything. Actually im planning on swearing into the marines on the 8th, im pretty excited..

  11. Hey, u r great, i like this job. i am very interesting that u as a girl doing a such type of job, in my country (Sri Lanka-located south of India) not taking female naval officer in their war ships(of cos we don’t have sophisticated ships). Anyway I am a defence correspondent at a Daily Mirror newspaper (www.dailymirror.lk)in Sri Lanka. I just went through ur blog its nice, keep doing the gud work. if u like i need to know more stuff about ur tough job(sjayasiri@gmail.com) send me something.
    Thnks
    Bye…

  13. Hi .I think u might be having a great time there.I love this type of job,like Travelling then working .seeing the world around.
    So hows thinks out there a marine.
    Have a nice time.

  16. I’m glad we have people like you in America today. Thanks to you and your fellow armed forces friends for the freedom you grant us, at the expense of your selves, families and friends. May God bless you through his son Jesus Christ our savior.

  17. What a great blog! You are a talented writer with a keen eye for detail. You also demonstrate a real understanding of what makes people tick — you should seriously consider doing whatever it takes to qualify for OCS and get a commission, because I think you’d make a great leader. This from an ex-Squiddie LT. Bravo Zulu, Jarhead!

  18. PISC in 03? I’m a former CO at MCT, Camp Geiger. When did you do through?

    Don’t listen to that squid. I’m a former Mustang Marine. I was a highly motivated Sgt who turned to the Dark Side of the Force and got out as a Maj select. Worst thing I ever did was get a commission. I should have listened to my 1st Sgt who advised me to stay on the E side of the house. Way to much BS and careerism in the ranks for an intelligent, honest and sincere person like you.

    Enjoyed your blog immensely. Thanks!

  21. hey..just stubled upon ur blog….u madu ur blog so simple…its nothing just ur day to day life story..but it was very nice experience going throug your blogs…
    female marine…i bet, must be very hard..

  22. woah !! thats a cool description of yourself…i wonder if i could frame myself with such beautiful words :)
    i like that gun in the picture, however i am more interested in seeing the face behind that gun..can u do that?

  24. It’s always refreshing reading your blogs, Marine! Thanks for everything you’re doing, and for making all of us female Marines proud!

    Semper Fi
    —-Estela (USMC Sgt. 1999-2003)

  25. I don’t know how I came across your page, as I am new to this blogging thing.. But I’m glad I did. Your posts are great and I wanted to say that it is always impressive to see a women out there like you are. What you are doing is awesome and I must give you a lot of credit.

  27. Just wanted to let you know that I leave for mct tomorrow and the posts on your website about mct and supply school (I am also going to supply school) were extremely helpful and overall just relieving! I’d been really nervous about mct after sustaining a hip injury in boot camp that never seemed to heal properly. Your post has reassured me what other Marines have been telling me, (that mct was actually really fun), and made me excited to go. Also glad to hear that we female Marines get the same training as the males in mct. Thanks Marine! Enjoy Embassy Duty.

    -Semper Fi

  28. Semper Fi Sister.
    I appreciate your service. I am on a missionto thank a fellow Marine a day. I enlisted in 1974. I did my 6 without being carried by 6. I always remember my Brothers and Sisters. You are in our prayers.
    Godspeed Marine.
    “Saepe Expertus-Semper Fidelis-Frateres Aeterni”
    “Often Tested-Always Faithful-Brothers Forever”
    Snappy Salute to Sarge here
    Rusty
    PFC.W.F.Comstock, USMC,

  29. I just found your blog. I went through PI in March-June 2003 also. Did you graduate with O comapny? I was in PLT 4018.

  31. Hey, I live in Howard County, MD.

    Make sure you register your name with Women in Military Service Memorial at http://www.womensmemorial.org.
    The Women In Military Service For America Memorial, at the Ceremonial Entrance to Arlington National Cemetery, is the only major national memorial honoring all women who have defended America throughout history. Their patriotism and bravery are a part of our nation’s heritage and are now recognized. Make sure your name is recorded in our history.

    ArmyVeteran MarineMom

  32. its a shame that women cant have the same jobs as men in the corps and that they have to “pretend” to be a sniper. i would be proud to serve beside you on the font lines.

  33. Cool Picture! Now that is not something you get to see everyday. On behalf of my family we would like to thank you for your service. We got a chance to see the new Marine Museum in Quantico, Virginia. Excellent place to visit on behalf of the history of the Marines.

  34. hello & semper fi!!!
    my dad served in the Marines, and i bugged him for years about giving me his dog tags. we finally found them in march 2005, about 6 months before he died. the day we found them i p0ut them around my neck and wore them constantly until about a year ago. i use them to clip my work badge onto and sometimes veterans ask if they are mine or where i get them from… (i used to worry that they might be offended since i did not earn them) but they all seem to soften when i say they were my dad's.

    i found your blog via a google search on "female Marines boot camp" and i look forward to reading…

    much love and thanks for doing what you do…(i always wanted to be a Marine)

    sincerely,
    gypsygrrl

  35. Hey! I really enjoyed reading you’re blog. I always hear things about bootcamp and military life from men and I have never really heard very much from the female point of view. I was glad to finally find some information from a female Marine. It is my dream to earn the title of a United States Marine. Right now I am a sophmore in H.S. so I have two more years! The only problem is that I have a history of asthma… i havent had any trouble for a year though and as far as i know i can still enlist as long as I don’t have any more trouble. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for me.

    God Bless and Semper Fi.

    And please visit my youtube profile if you want…

    http://www.youtube.com/buckeyefan511

  36. Hello! I also found you through a Google search.
    My 17 year old daughter is signing up in February 09′, and I am trying to help be as well prepared as possible.
    I wanted to tell you that your writing touched my heart. You are a great, sweet person! I’ve never spent more then a few seconds reading journals (blogs, but you don’t like that word), before tonight.
    The first story that my Google “female marine” search led me to on your site was the “poop holder inner” one! Ha ha! I read some of it to my daughter over the phone already. Well,…know you’re busy… May God continue to bless you and keep you.
    Dan L Delaware USA

  37. Hi… I’m a future marine and i’m a female. i’m durrently in the DEP… i was wondering if there was any advice at all you could give me… i’ve asked my ssgt to ask my gunny who is a female to call me but she is awlays so busy…
    thanks

  38. I want to join up, I’ve been thinking about it for a year now and I’m sure I’ve made my decision. My parents had a fit…they told me I should do more research and talk to a female marine. They said females get raped more in the marines and there aren’t that many career advancement opportunities for females. Can you give me some info on this please?

  41. Dear Akiluna,
    I stumbled into your blog searching for female special forces units and found out there is only one in the whole world in Southern Corea.
    Anyway I'm a man from Italy and I was wondering why a woman like you likes: sleeping, eating and having a shower…:) then when I opened the rest of your profile I saw that there is much more and I relaxed :)
    Well maybe you are not in a fighting unit but much honour anyway. And many of the photos you shot are very beautiful.
    I wish you all the best in this life
    Giorgio

  42. hi,
    I'm still in high-school and weighing my career option.
    I am considering to join the marines, but I keep asking myself if it's that good of an idea as a girl. I searched the internet for material and I came across your blog and really enjoy to read what you have to say.

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