When she first entered the Army ROTC program at BYU Marriott, Anna Hodge could only do seven push-ups. By holding herself to high expectations and unwavering dedication, Hodge became a highly-skilled and valuable cadet who could do seventy push-ups by the time she finished the four-year program.
Since graduating from BYU in April 2016 as a linguistics major, Hodge has become one of the first women to complete the sixty-one-day Ranger School course in small-unit infantry combat tactics and has continued to excel in serving as a platoon leader at a military-intelligence company in Italy.
“Anna has done what only a few female soldiers have ever done,” says Lieutenant Colonel Forrest Cook, a military-science professor with BYU Marriott ROTC. “She has earned the most desired and difficult designation in the Army—that of a Ranger. She continues to proudly represent the heritage of excellence, hard work, discipline, and leadership that the Cougar Battalion stands for.”
Hodge, who is from Highland, Utah, credits her own determination as well as the leadership and tactical experience she gained in the ROTC program at BYU Marriott with obtaining the position she is in now. “The program challenged me to push myself and to practice leading a squad,” she says. “I had a lot of opportunities to do hard things and develop skills that I used again in Ranger School.”
BYU Marriott ROTC cadets participate in labs to enhance their leadership abilities and teamwork. Much of lab training involves using paintball or airsoft weapons while conducting squad and patrol-size missions. When asked what her favorite lab in the program was, Hodge replied, “Definitely ambush. I loved finding the perfect ambush site. Tactical skills like those were vital to completing the Ranger Challenge, which pitted us against other ROTC teams in the nation in a series of events.”
For Hodge, the most challenging part of the ROTC program was planning the labs during her fourth year in the program as an S3 operations officer. The planning process involved creating the timeline, instructing the trainers, and planning for any material items needed. “Even though learning these skills was challenging, I was so grateful I learned them in an environment such as ROTC before using them again as a second lieutenant in a staff section in the army,” she says.
Hodge is also thankful she had chance to participate in the commemorative Bataan Memorial Death March in New Mexico while still a member of the ROTC program. The event honors World War II POWs who were forced to march roughly sixty-five miles on the Bataan peninsula in the Philippines. Participants carried at least forty-five pounds of weight in their rucksacks.
“When I crossed the finish line, I had blisters the size of silver dollars on my feet, but I felt proud that I completed it,” says Hodge. “Later in Ranger School when I was in the field and my feet had a lot of blisters and chaffing, I looked back to my Bataan Death March experience to remind myself I could do it.”
Though she is currently happily stationed in Italy, Hodge hopes to one day be stationed in Japan, where she and her husband, Matthew, served missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Her years of experience have taught her that one thing is true for all ROTC cadets. “Setting low expectations for yourself can be tempting, but don’t do it!” Hodge says. “Always try to hold the same standards for yourself even if you have to work up to them. You will have more faith in your abilities and confidence in yourself if you do.”
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Writer: Ellen Ford
