She wanted to be in the Army

“When I first tried to join the Army, I failed. I went through a bunch of physical and psychological tests and I didn’t make it in the speed races. I was too slow. So I trained as much as I could to become a faster runner. One year later when I tried again, I was the fastest of the group.

Most people give up during the first weeks though. The training is tough. The worse moment I recall was when we could only sleep for an hour and half each day for a whole week. It was in February during winter and the temperature was really low. That week, they made us spend the night out in formation with summer clothes.

‘You have to stand your ground or else men won’t respect you’

A lot of my colleagues gave up that day. I overcame this test because I maintained in my mind what my goal was – I wanted to be in the Army. I have always wanted it. I couldn’t give it away just because of that one test. I would only have to stand those eight hours. And I made it.

Compared to men, there are fewer women in the Army. As a woman, when you join the military you have to stand your ground or else men won’t respect you. We all had to do it.”

Rute caught my attention because her beauty juxtaposed with her Army uniform. I won’t forget how her eyes shined when she was showing me all the tanks she likes to drive. She met her fiancé in the Army and they will get married soon.