Jennette grew up in Central Alabama. She had no idea what she wanted to go to school for.
She had been bullied and picked on starting in 6
th
grade. She was a somewhat popular girl in 5
th
grade but started to change going into 6th grade. She grew almost 8" and her body began to change. She was growing breasts and hips. The worst for picking on her was Brittany, Britt.
Britt found every opportunity through middle school to pick on Jenn. Hiding behind baggy clothes and being a loner became Jenn's M.O. She started making herself as invisible as she could. She did not participate in any sports or after-school clubs.
Her mom helped her get Dr's slips for not participating in physical education classes that required dressing with the other students or wearing shorts. Jenn never fell in with a bad crowd or acted out. She just hid in plain sight. She ended up graduating with a 3.54 average.
Again, hiding in plain sight, not good enough to be noticed but also not bad enough to be a bad student. Jenn found a way to get out of walking at graduation by asking her single mother to take her on vacation that week. They vacationed in San Diego.
In the airport Jenn saw a large billboard that welcomed Women Marines to San Diego RTC. The girls in the photos looked pretty and tough to Jenn. If she was tough like that, Britt would not have picked on her.
Jenn's mom was only 17 years older than her. She had gotten pregnant at high school after a prom party. She did not know who the father was and did not care.
Jenn's mom's parents shipped her off to her grandma's to finish high school and Jenn's great grandmother housed them until five years ago.
Jenn's mom finally got into management at the chain office supply store, she had worked at for the last fifteen years. Getting to college after work to get business associates and qualify for management. Her mother was now working on her bachelors to get into corporate management.
"Mom, what do you think of me being a Marine?" Jenn asked her mom, Judy.
"I think your self-esteem would be lifted and you would be challenged. I think it might be good for you. You would finally have to apply yourself, are you ready for that?" Judy asked.
"I know I can't hide like a little girl the rest of my life and now that I am away from those evil bitches, I think I want to try!" Jenn answered.
A month later Jenn was back in San Diego at Recruit Training Command going through Marine Boot Camp. She did not know how arduous it was going to be coming in.
She puked almost daily trying to do the physical things asked of her body that it was not prepared for. The other women supported and drove her to get through.
It was the opposite of school. She felt part of the group and was willing to do anything for her sister and brother Marines. She came out the other end of boot camp a completely different person and according to the Marine Corps Top of her Boot Camp Class. She was able to apply for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense for her career path.
In her second year of a 4-year tour she applied for and got on an Officer Fast Track program where she could choose her school and have 5 years to get an approved degree then pledge 8 years to the Marine Corps after graduation.
She applied for and received acceptance and a partial ride to the University of Alabama at Birmingham for a Bio-tech degree with an emphasis on chemistry.
She could go to school on the USMC's dime, get paid, and have some extra scholarship money. September the 5
th
she would start college as a 20-year-old freshman.
She had to report once a month for review by the ROTC Commander. The Commander was a Coronel in the USAF, but she was the highest-ranking military on the campus, so Jenn had to review her schoolwork with the Coronel once a month.
Jenn reported to her on September 3
rd
to report off her 30 day leave with her mom Judy and wife Shannon in central Alabama.
No one at home had recognized her and she liked it that way. Her red hair was kept in a severe bun. She wore shorts and blouses. Her firm toned curves were nothing like what the baggy clothes of high school hid.
Jenn reported in uniform, proud of her uniform and her service. She and the Coronel, Coronel Thompson, discussed what activities she should avoid, and the top of the list was fraternity and sorority sponsored events. She should involve herself in some clubs around the school. Try to avoid the obvious counterculture and political clubs.
Her mother had bought her a laptop, at a discount from the store she now managed. Judy was also helping afford the off-campus apartment she was going to live in.
Jenn did not have much in the apartment but as a Marine she felt like she did not need much. A desk to study at, a bed to sleep on and a television to watch movies on.
The one thing she did want in the complex was a gym to work out in that was well equipped. She kept her routine from the Corps.
Up at 4 am. Put the 40lb training rucksack on over her Marine Corps sweatpants. She gave herself the luxury of running shoes. Because of that she wore a breath limiting altitude mask.