18. Becoming an Administrative Specialist
Not everyone who graduates the U.S. Marine’s goes into a combat position. The Marines is a business in many ways. As such, they have a need for people to take administrative roles as well to keep the business of the Marines going. Ihrke’s first commission out of boot camp was in South Carolina, as an administrative specialist. At that point, she’d demonstrated an attentiveness to organization and detail, making her perfect for the role. For Ihrke, she felt she was in the right place, that she was finally making a difference.