Primarily documents Tavia Brightwell's adolescence; her service with the United States Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve; and her educational experiences. Brightwell discusses her upbringing in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, her admiration for certain teachers for their acceptance of everyone, and her desire to do something that allowed her to help people. Brightwell discusses being uncertain of joining the military at first, her decision to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test (ASVAB), and scoring high enough to pursue a Military Occupation Specialty with an aviation component." Brightwell recalls the emotional and physical toll that boot camp had on her, the core values that she learned during this time, and her two deployments, one on land and one on sea. She also discusses serving as the staff Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge (NCOIC), the Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge, and the Officer in Charge (OIC), the feeling of competition from other female marines, and her opinion that she was treated fairly in terms of promotions and opportunities." Brightwell also discusses how deployment helped her see the world from a different perspective, her belief that women should be able to hold combat positions if they are capable, and the sense of pride that the military afforded her."