At 22 years old, I stood in front of my all male chain of command and told them I had to leave because I chose to keep my baby.

I found out I was 12 weeks pregnant after being deployed to Afghanistan for 10 weeks. Yes I was married, on birth control and I had never been unfaithful.

At 22 years old, I stood in front of my all male chain of command and platoon and told them I had to leave because I chose to keep my baby. I felt like I had done the worst thing a woman could do in the Army. My husband deployed three weeks later so we didn’t get to see each other in the transition.

I returned to the U.S. and was assigned to a new Army unit. I had to deal with the rumors swirling around me at all times and wore my pregnant belly like a scarlet letter. The pregnancy was lonely and riddled with fear as my husband remained in Afghanistan. No one shamed him and his career wasn’t impacted, which felt sexist. We were a happily married couple that got a joyous surprise, we did nothing wrong. I was nothing short of a badass prior to this beating the men at everything and performing well above my peers.

I’m incredibly proud of my decision because my 14 year old daughter is a true badass!!