Captain Collapses on 12 Mile March, Millions Stunned at Her Treatment

Sarah Cudd had worked hard to push through the ranks to Army Captain. Her base was in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and she truly enjoyed her work. Part of the training required the 29-year-old woman to join the soldiers and perform a very strenuous challenge for the Public Health Command. She thought nothing of it because she was in good physical condition.

A few feet away from the finish line, Cudd fell to the ground, curled up in a ball, and lay on the dusty dirt track. However, her companions weren’t having that, and their actions were unbelievable. Someone recorded what happened, and it went viral…

The Grueling Physical Test

Sarah Cudd and the rest of the soldiers had to complete a difficult test to earn the Expert Field Medical Badge. It was a very prestigious award for military personnel who passed a series of physical and written challenges, and it’s grueling!

Down for the Count

Before she set out to achieve this honor, Sarah knew that it was difficult to earn. The pass rate is just 17 percent! That figure might have crossed her mind as she hit the floor on one of the many challenges set before her.

Pushed to the Max

Cudd had already come far in the course, but this assessment seemed to push her to her limit. It was one of the last challenges she had to endure, but the 12-mile Foot March was the toughest part of the program!

Harsh Rules

What’s the 12-mile march involve? Typically, the candidates must carry heavy equipment in backpacks while holding rifles and walking for 12 miles. However, they must also finish in less than three hours to get the badge. That’s pretty crazy!

Getting Noticed

Sarah attempted to complete this test in 2015 and was part of a group of 239 candidates. While that’s a fairly large number, Cudd’s experience stood apart from the crowd and made her an online sensation.

Captured on Camera

Only the final few feet of her 12-mile Foot March caught everyone’s attention on the internet because of what happened. Thankfully, an Army colleague captured the moment on video, so you have Captain Lloyd Mason to thank for this story!

Spread Like Wildfire

Captain Mason posted his footage on Facebook, and it quickly spread. What happened was so amazing that the video was shared more than 20,000 times on the networking site. Plus, YouTube viewers have watched it over a million times!

Nothing Left

In the video, you see Sarah moving toward the finish line with her rifle in hand. However, the captain’s knees give way, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground, completely exhausted at this point.

Ounce of Hope

Cudd doesn’t want to give up, and with steely determination, she gets to her feet once more. However, she only takes another few steps and collapses again. It doesn’t appear that Sarah is going to make it through to the end.

Utterly Defeated

Sarah is exhausted and lying on the ground with her backpack’s weight on top of her, and she’s in bad shape. However, the captain’s soldier friends do something amazing in that moment by pulling together!

Get Up

Quickly, the soldiers gather around her while she’s curled on the ground and shout support. “Get up!” They yell that and “You’ve got it, ma’am!” The motivation hits Cudd where it matters, so she leans on the rifle, getting back onto her feet again.

Shouts Continue

While she’s unsteady, Cudd starts marching again and is only a few feet from her finish line. Her colleagues continue shouting support, and some walk beside her while she fights for this honor.

Past the Line

Sarah’s determination and the amazing support take her over the finish line. It was a near-miss, though, because she collapsed right after she crossed it. Her colleagues are screaming with joy because she managed to make it through this grueling test!

One of 14

Cudd crossed the finish line in two hours and 47 minutes, making her among the 46 people to receive an Expert Field Medical Badge on that day. Plus, she was the only one out of 14 women to complete it in under three hours!

Sigh of Relief

Sarah told ABC News that she only felt relief after she was done. However, she was thankful to those who supported her and willed her to that finish line. Clearly, she might not have made it without her colleagues there for support.

True Hero

People have said that Cudd’s performance was very inspirational, too. For example, the Public Health Command of the US Army shared the video and included a caption saying that “Cudd shows us what not quitting looks like.”

Just 5 Feet from Failure

That much attention actually humbled Cudd, according to ABC. Regardless, there’s no doubt that she did something impressive that day. Cudd herself said that she was about 5 feet from failure, but she made it in the end.

Below the Surface

What went through Sarah’s head in that moment? She revealed it all to Fox News in a 2015 interview. She said that she thought about going home to her friends and husband cheering her on. They willed her forward, and she couldn’t have made it without the support!

Double Life

Shannon Ihrke was a fellow servicewoman and hoped her squad treated her with kindness like Cudd’s had. During her service, she was keeping a secret. The Marine Corps Sergeant was leading a double life and worried about the truth coming out.

On the Edge

Ihrke was young when she enlisted. She was 19 and attending college when a financial situation pushed her to find alternative options to studying and working. That’s when she decided to push herself mentally and physically through the military.

Added Bonus

If she enlisted in the Marine Corps, Ihrke could travel the world and serve her country. Eventually, she shipped out to Afghanistan and faced horrible conditions. Still, she enjoyed the experience and said that this was the best decision she had ever made.

Climbing the Ranks

Shannon climbed the ranks and succeeded. Initially, she was an administrative assistant. The role often saw her handling travel orders, correspondence, and checking punishment books. However, that wasn’t what she wanted forever.

Battling Stigma

Ihrke wouldn’t stay in that position long. She worked hard to climb the ladder, and she was finally a Sergeant. However, she dealt with the stigma of being a female marine. Still, she didn’t let it bother her or take away from her experience.

The Second Secret Job

Shannon told the Military Times that it was hard to be a female marine, but she was determined to see what she was capable of doing and pushed herself to be the best. The work hard, play hard mentality helped her pick up a second job.

Hiding the Truth

Ihrke had a secret, but she finally opened up about it all in 2019 when she gave an interview to Inside Edition. She revealed that she grew up in a small town and thought she was a boy for her first 10 years of life. She had no military aspirations at that time, though.

Out of High 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

Ihrke saw her college advisor to try and get financial aid. However, there was a catch: Shannon could only get free tuition in Minnesota if she was a single mother or enlisted in the military. She was quite confused and upset.

Disbelief

That discussion made her choose to research different military branches. She was speaking to the Air Force recruiter one day, and a Marine Corps recruiter caught her on the way out. However, the man didn’t think Shannon had what it took to be part of the Marine Corp!

Challenge Accepted

That recruiter said that the program was tough, and a girl like her probably couldn’t make it through boot camp. Those discouraging words only made Ihrke want it more. This teenager chose to enlist, taking the challenge by asking the man where to sign up.

Worry and Fear

Later, Shannon had second thoughts about her decision. She was on the plane heading to boot camp and thought, “What have I just done?!” It was partly because she knew that her new environment wasn’t exactly female-friendly.

The Man’s World

Ihrke had always been athletic, but everyone says the Marine Corps is a man’s world. Sadly, this environment caused her to feel self-conscious and judged the moment she arrived. She felt like she had a target on her back.

Twice as Hard

The doubt others had for Ihrke didn’t put her off. Sure, she had to work harder to be seen as an equal, but her goal was to push herself to be better and prove that she deserved to be there. Plus, she had other female marines to support her.

Complete Inspiration

Shannon had beautiful female drill instructors to motivate her. Plus, she found mentors who helped her succeed in what appeared to be the boy’s club. Overall, you find out what you can do when you push yourself to the max.

The Unexpected Promotion

Ihrke didn’t stop and continued pushing herself to do better. She received her first promotion after being in the service for two years. She was promoted from the E1 rank to E4, which often takes four years to complete!

Hit the Target

Shannon liked guns and was very good at shooting the targets, which probably helped her move up in rank. It likely stemmed from her childhood because she shot guns with her dad for many years, never expecting it to help her in the Marines later.

Honorably Discharged

It’s natural for people to judge someone by their appearances, but it makes you want to be better than the rest to show that you’re equal and can keep up. That philosophy fueled her, though she got honorably discharged in 2012.

Exploring New Paths

When she left the Marines, Ihrke pursued other avenues. Eventually, she returned to school and studied at Elmhurst College to get a degree in science. However, she also chose to explore something that fell into her lap while she was nearing the end of her military career!

Modeling Debut

While visiting friends in Chicago before leaving the Marines, a friend was holding a fashion show and asked her to walk the runway. That put her in touch with the fashion world and brought photographers from all over.

Horse Trainer

While she enjoyed many years in the modeling industry, she wanted to get back to her roots. Therefore, she decided to become a horse trainer and teach children how to ride. Currently, she has six horses for roping competitions and started a horse posse.

Motherhood

All that time working with kids helped her become a mother in October 2019. Aryana River was her first little bundle of joy, and she learned that she was expecting again in June 2020!