For U.S. Army Capt. Molly Murphy, the toughest part of the Army’s challenging Ranger Course was the very first day.
“I didn’t sleep at all the night before; I was so scared and felt way over my head,” she told CNN.
CNN reports that Murphy, who currently works as a pediatric intensive care unit nurse at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland, graduated from Ranger School on July 19, becoming the first female Army nurse to complete the course.
Over approximately 60 days, Ranger School, hailed by the Army as its “toughest course,” puts students through grueling physical and mental exercises across three intense phases, ranging from the mountainous terrain of Georgia to the swamps of Florida.
As of Wednesday, 143 women have graduated from the U.S. Army Ranger Course, also known as Ranger School, since the first female graduates in 2015, according to the Army. Murphy’s achievement is particularly notable given her background in nursing, which contrasts with the combat experience of most of her Ranger School peers.
“I was like, ‘I did these tactics eight years ago in ROTC and thought I’d never hear the word ‘ambush’ again. I was so lost,'” Murphy recalled, laughing. “But I’m a very good note-taker, super type-A, you know, like any critical care nurse. So, I wrote down everything anyone said and had this crazy notebook that the guys would flip through whenever they were freaking out.”
The first women to graduate from Ranger School were Capt. Kristen Griest and 1st Lt. Shaye Haver, just two years after many combat roles were opened to women in the military. Shortly after their graduation, in December 2015, then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that all remaining military jobs, including special operations roles, would be opened to women.
Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, stated last year that including women in special operations is “not a nice-to-have; it’s a must.”
“When it comes to defending our nation against the most critical threats, we need everyone, not just in the Army but on a larger scale. It’s critical to our mission,” he said.
Murphy told CNN that women bring valuable advantages to the table. For instance, she excelled at combat techniques training involving operational orders, where unit commanders outline their mission, allowing her teammates to get some extra sleep while she took on that responsibility.
Men and women working together “complement each other,” she said, “and that’s what makes us such a good team.”
Murphy’s journey to Ranger School began in childhood. After her mother’s accidental death, she and her two brothers were raised by their father, who served in the National Guard. Throughout her life, she said she was “keeping up with the boys,” constantly competing and carving out her own place.
This drive led her to join the ROTC program at the University of Nebraska, following her father’s encouragement to become an officer and help pay for school.
She continued to excel, attending the Army’s Air Assault and Jungle Schools while working as a nurse at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii. After completing Jungle School, a teammate encouraged her to pursue Ranger School.
“I thought, ‘No way! I’m a nurse; Jungle School is the furthest I’ll go,'” Murphy recalled.
Her biggest hesitation, she joked, was the requirement to shave her head. But just months later, her former Jungle School teammate helped her start training.
Although medical training played a minimal role in the course, Murphy said her nursing background provided unique preparation. Working 12-hour shifts on her feet, often skipping meals and needing to stay “100% sharp at all times because someone’s life is in your hands” gave her an advantage.
Despite a worsening foot infection that forced her to leave the course two days before the end for surgery, Murphy returned to Georgia for graduation. She was hospitalized again the day before but insisted on attending the ceremony, arriving on crutches with nerve blocks to manage the pain.
“I was so excited about how many of us from my platoon made it. It was thrilling to celebrate with them, knowing we helped each other succeed,” she said, emphasizing the importance of teamwork throughout the course.
Returning to nursing, Murphy’s biggest takeaway is the leadership skills she developed, especially the ability to persevere in chaotic situations.
“It’s incredibly challenging to lead when everyone is exhausted and starving,” she said. “My goal was to stay positive in those moments when you’re at your lowest. I want to help people understand that you grow the most during your most difficult times.”
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