I read with pride the stories about the first females to receive the Army Ranger tab, and memories swirled about receiving the tap over 40 years ago. My Ranger class started with over 400 and less than 50% received the tab. Many washed out the first few weeks unable to keep up physically. By the second phase, the food and sleep deprivation started to take its toil through accidents and injuries. The last phase was Florida, and I watched many cry as they were forced to quit due to foot rot, life threatening poison ivy, and snakebites.
This morning I pulled out my original Ranger tab, still on the safety pin that had attached it to my uniform. Earning the tab didn’t change who I was inside, but it clearly define my core strengths of perseverance, persistence, determination, confidence, and optimism. Today, I will ring the bell in the radiation oncology hallway signifying completion of my 2nd round of radiation, ending another trial in my cancer journey. At the end of September, the Health Enhancement Research Organization will honor me with the Bill Whitmer Leadership Award for my years of teaching, speaking and publishing what I have learned along my 35 years in wellness. As I look back, I realize how the Ranger tab has defined my approach to life and given me an awesome journey. Thank you U.S. Army - “Rangers Lead the Way”!
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