Long days of little food and sleep affected every waking moment for Captain Natalie Mallue, as she neared the end of Third Phase at Ranger School, deep in the murky waters and terrain of Florida's swampy Camp Rudder. But after three months of attending the demanding course and enduring recycle during the final phase, Natalie knew it would soon be over, the grueling days and nights culminating in one crucial thing: the coveted Ranger tab. When Natalie graduated from Fort Benning in April 2017, she became only the sixth female to pass Ranger School and the first to wear both the Ranger and Sapper tabs in the U.S. Army.
The determination to achieve these goals was something instilled in Natalie, 30, at a young age, as she grew up in Portland, Oregon. She did not grow up in a military household however, she said. "I was raised in a typical rural, suburban type neighborhood. Nobody was in my family was in the military … I didn't know anything about it," Natalie said. "I had a neighbor who was retired Air Force and he suggested I take a look at the Air Force Academy. So I started taking a look into it and the other military academies."
Natalie considered her options and eventually decided on West Point, seeing it as the most viable academy. "Between all the service academies I liked West Point and the Air Force the most. I ended up choosing West Point because it was more people focused," Natalie explained. "The Air Force Academy seemed more focused on technology. I also liked the aspect of learning leadership and people skills." Despite the rigid military structure and discipline required at West Point, Natalie said she never felt restricted or contained by her new Army surroundings. Full Story»