After She Collapsed On A 12 Mile March, Captain Received Unexpected Help

Fort Knox, Kentucky native Sarah Cudd fought her way to become an army captain, but her passion made it possible. Part of the training that Cudd went through included going through a very tough challenge for the Public Health Command. She thought that this wouldn’t be an issue for her at all, since the 29 year old was in good shape. Just feet away from the finished line, she dropped down to the ground and curled up into a ball. What happened next was really stunning for everyone.

The Grueling Physical Test

Cudd and the rest of the soldiers in her crew needed to pass this challenge in order to earn the Expert Field Medical Badge. This award is given to military personnel who are able to endure both physical and written challenges, and it is no easy feat to do.

Down for the Count

Cudd was well aware of the fact that this was a tough endeavor. With a pass rate of just 17%, most people don’t actually pass it. Perhaps it was this fact that crossed her mind when she fell down to the ground during the challenge.

Pushed to the Max

She had already accomplished so much and gotten so far in the course, so was this the challenge that would break her? It was one of the last before the end of the course, and of course the 12 mile Foot March was one of the most difficult portions of the entire program.

Harsh Rules

So what does the 12 mile march actually look like? First of all, all of the participants must carry backpacks full of heavy equipment on their backs while also holding their rifles and walk for 12 miles straight. They have to finished the whole march in less than three hours in order to qualify for the badge.

Getting Noticed

Sarah’s attempt to accomplish the march was in 2015, when she was a part of a group made up of 239 participants. That’s a large group, and though it was meant to be a typical experience of the program, this particular one stood out and helped her become an online marvel.

Captured on Camera

The final portion of the 12 mile march she participated in was filmed and eventually uploaded online, capturing the attention of many people all over. Her army colleague, Captain Lloyd Mason, was the one who captured the footage and shared it with the world.

Spread Like Wildfire

After he took the video, Captain Mason shared it on his Facebook page, where it quickly took off and began circulating. He was shocked to see that eventually the video was shared over 20,000 times. It was also uploaded on YouTube, where it garnered over a million views.

Nothing Left

In the video he posted, you can see Cudd inching towards the finish line, wearing the heavy backpack and rifle in hand. However, you see her knees giving way, causing her to fall onto the ground. She looks completely exhausted and doesn’t seem to be able to keep going.

Ounce of Hope

Not wanting to give up, Cudd fights to get up on her feet once again. She starts taking a few more steps, but soon after, she collapses yet again. Despite her determination, it looked like she was not going to make it to the end this time.

Utterly Defeated

Lying on the ground completely defeated and exhausted and with her backpack on her, Sarah seemed unable to move. However, at that very moment, her friends and colleagues decided to do something amazing.

Get Up

The soldiers grouped around her and started to shout encouraging words to her, including: “Get up!” and “You’ve got it ma’am!” This helped motivate her and she used her rifle as support in order to get back onto her feet.

Shouts Continue

Even though she looks quite unsteady, she is able to get up and start walking again, getting closer to the finish line that’s only a mere few feet away. Her friends continue shouting support at her, and some of them even walk alongside her as she fights her way through.

Past the Line

She was fully determined to finish, and with incredible support from those around her, she was able to do it. She almost gave up, but it would have been such a shame since she was so close to the finish line. After she passed the finish line, her friends jumped up and down and screamed with joy.

One of 14

In the end, Cudd crossed over the finish line at the 2 hour 47 minute mark, which meant that she was one of the 46 people who earned the Expert Field Medical Badge that day. Even more amazingly, she was one of just 14 women who completed the march in under 3 hours that day.

Sigh of Relief

In an interview with ABC, Cudd shared that she felt relief only when she was done. She was so grateful to those who encouraged her and supported her in order to finish. It was clear that they gave her the final push to make it happen.

True Hero

A lot of people cited her accomplishment as a huge inspiration, like the Public Health Command of the US Army who shared the video of Cudd’s determination to finish. The caption read: “Cudd shows us what not quitting looks like.”

Just 5 Feet from Failure

Getting so much attention was very humbling for Cudd, as she told ABC. However, her impact was truly inspiring that day. She said herself that even though she was just 5 feet from failure, with support from her colleagues, she was able to overcome it.

Below the Surface

In an interview with Fox News in 2015, Cudd shared what went through her head that day. She said that in addition to her colleagues’ support, she thought about her friends and husband cheering her on and going home to see them after she was done. This all helped push her forward to finish.

Double Life

Another servicewoman named Shannon Ihrke hoped that her squad would be as supportive of her as Cudd’s were. During Ihrke’s service, she had a secret. She was leading a double life, and she was worried what would happen if the truth was revealed about this Marine Corps Segeant.

On the Edge

Ihrke enlisted while she was just 19 years old. When she was in college, she was faced with a tough financial situation, and she looked into options in order to pay for her education. This is why she ended up deciding to join the military, and more specifically, the Marines.

Added Bonus

By joining the Marine Corps, she figured she would be able to see different parts of the world while also serving her country. She was sent to Afghanistan, and while conditions were certainly not ideal there, she shared that it was a good experience for her and she felt it was the best decision she ever made.

Climbing the Ranks

After joining, Shannon slowly began climbing the ranks. She started out as an administrative assistant which had her handling correspondence, travel orders, and checking on punishment books. However, she knew that she didn’t want this position forever.

Battling Stigma

She didn’t want to remain an administrative assistant forever, so she worked hard in order to be promoted. Eventually she became a Sergeant. Unfortunately, she also began to face stigma and discrimination for being a female marine. However, she didn’t let this bring her down or ruin her experience.

The Second Secret Job

Speaking with the Military Times, Ihrke admitted that it was tough at time to be a female marine, but she wouldn’t let anything hold her back from doing her best and seeing just how much she is capable of accomplishing. With this attitude of working hard, she began a second job as well.

Hiding the Truth

She kept her secret to herself for years, but in 2019, Ihrke opened up in an interview with Inside Edition. She said that growing up in a small town, she thought she was a boy until she was 10 years old. Despite this, she never had military aspirations until many years later.

Out of High School

After finishing high school, she had no idea what she wanted to do. She thought about college, which seemed like the most obvious next step. However, she didn’t have a plan for after that. What she did know was that she was tired of juggling two jobs along with school.

Shannon didn’t know what she wanted to do after graduating from high school. College seemed like the most obvious step, but there was no determination or plan for her life afterward. However, she knew she was tired of going to school and working two jobs.

Financial Aid

When she spoke to her college advisor to learn more about financial aid, she was told that she could receive free tuition in Minnesota only if she was a single mother or if she was a member of the military. After she learned this information, she became quite upset and above all, confused.

Disbelief

Once she gathered her thoughts, she started to research the different branches of the military. She spoke to recruiters from the Air Force, and on the way out, a Marine Corps recruiter stopped her. She hadn’t considered joining the Marines, but the man thought she didn’t have what it took anyway.

Challenge Accepted

Telling her that the program was difficult and that she probably wouldn’t be able to make it through bootcamp lit a fire inside of her. His discouragement made her want to do it even more, and she chose to enlist at that very moment.

Worry and Fear

Afterwards, she began to second guess her decision. When she was already on the plane heading to bootcamp, she couldn’t help but think to herself: “what have I done?” She realized that this organization was not likely to be the most female-friendly.

The Man’s World

Although she had been athletic throughout her life, she kept hearing that the Marine Corps is a man’s world. She let this kind of talk get to her, and she started to feel judged and self-conscious from the start. She felt like she was being targeted.

Twice as Hard

However, she quickly decided to pull it together and shake off other people’s doubts. She realized that she had to work twice as hard as everyone else in order to be seen as an equal. She decided to push herself and prove that she did belong there. Luckily, there were other women around to help support her too.

Complete Inspiration

She had female drill instructors that helped inspire and motivate her. She also found mentors that helped her succeed, despite the environment feeling like such a boy’s club. She pushed herself to the max.

The Unexpected Promotion

She never stopped working hard, and after two years of being in the military, she was promoted. She was promoted from the E1 rank to E4, which can take up to four years to accomplish.

 

Hit the Target

She really enjoyed shooting guns at targets, which is what helped her move up the rankings. Shannon had been practicing shooting guns with her dad since she was young, but she never expected that this would end up helping her in the Marines years later.

Honorably Discharged

While a lot of people judge others but appearances, sometimes you can use that as motivation to work harder and prove that you actually can keep up. This is what helped push Shannon to work hard. However, in 2012, she was honorably discharged.

Exploring New Paths

After leaving the Marines, she decided to pursue other interests and began studying science at Elmhurst College. However, this was not the only thing that she decided to pursue. An opportunity came up while she was nearing the end of her time in the military, and she decided to go for it.

Modeling Debut

Before she left the Marines, Shannon visited friends in Chicago. One of her friends was hosting a fashion show, and she asked Shannon to participate by walking the runway. This introduced her to the fashion world as well as photographers from all over.

Horse Trainer

Even though she enjoyed many years of modeling, she eventually decided to go back to her roots and become a horse trainer. She trains children to ride, and she currently has six horses competing in roping contests and she also started a horse posse.

Motherhood

She spent so many years working with kids that she felt ready to become a mother. Her daughter Aryana River was born in October 2019. She found out she was expecting a second child in June 2020.