51-year-old mother decides to re-enlist

2/21/2012

Many Americans have shown their support for the Armed Forces, but few have done more than Sandra Coast. The 51-year-old mother recently finished basic combat training, making her among the oldest ever to do so, according to the U.S. Army's official website.

Coast's recent accomplishments are certainly not her first experience with the military. From 1982 to 1993 she was in the Navy, but when her son was born she put her career as a soldier on hold. Then, when her son decided to join the Marine Corps after graduating high school she figured she should sign up as well.

"I don't know, I can't explain it, I just had this overwhelming desire to give back to the military somehow. I was doing the same job day after day after day. I can't live my life that way," she told the news source. "There is more to life than this, so I ended up in basic training."

The journey was certainly a long one. Basic Combat Training is not for the faint of heart. It includes everything from the physical fitness test - which is comprised of sit-ups, push-ups and a timed two-mile run - to weapons training.