MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Kaneohe Bay -- Growing up, her father always told her that she needed to give something back to her country. At that time, the Army brat from St. Louis, Miss., never imagined that what she would give would be a lifetime career in the Marine Corps.
Lieutenant Col. Laura J. Sampsel, commanding officer of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 24, has served in the Corps for 21 years and plans on continuing this road until she can't anymore, she said.
Sampsel's father, a 30-year army veteran completed three tours in Vietnam. He wanted his daughters to make good lives for themselves, but never pressured them to join the military in any way.
"My sister joined the army, but I still wasn't sure what I wanted to do," said Sampsel. "I eventually enrolled into Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, under the Marine Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship program."
Sampsel attended school and studied political science. Between her junior and senior year, she attended Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Va., for 10 weeks.
"I can remember driving in a Volkswagen over train tracks on my way to OCS, and thinking, 'What am I doing?'"
At that time, OCS was comprised of two platoons for females. The platoons were all female but were integrated with the males for training.
"Out of the two platoons of females, less than 50 percent graduated," said Sampsel. "We weren't even allowed to graduate with our weapons until one of the women in the other platoon stepped up and refused to graduate without it."
That was one of many defining moments for Sampsel.
"The fact that being a woman might get me treated differently never even crossed my mind," she said. "Maybe it was after maturity and receiving a few knocks that I realized that there were really people out there who felt I couldn't do the job as a female. But that's okay, because they really stick out as the shallow, insecure people they are in any sector of society."
Sampsel said she feels it's extremely important for female Marines to talk to each other. It takes a lot of courage to do some things, and everyone needs to communicate. Just by listening, they can learn a lot, she explained.
"I used to just go around things and tolerate bigoted people," said Sampsel. "Now, I will get in your face and plow over you!"
Sampsel decided to go for the long haul with her career, after observing the other branches and realizing how great the Marine Corps really is, she said. The capabilities really stood out and made her realize how much she wanted to stay a part of the team.
Sampsel is departing her command Aug. 18 and transferring to the Naval Inventory Control Point in Philadelphia, Pa.; however, she is not excited about leaving early.
"The Marines and Sailors I work with now are so awesome," she said. "They all work so hard; it's a shame that I've only really gotten to work with them for seven months."
Sampsel, happily married for more than 20 years with two children, said her family is very supportive of her decisions.
"Be a Marine, but don't stop being a woman," said Sampsel. "Recognize that the two are very compatible and possible."