How I got here: Sgt.Maj. Sundermier

Photo By 94th Airlift Wing | Sgt. Maj. Toshia Sundermier joined the Marine Corps 24 years ago to prove that she had what it takes to go above and beyond. Throughout her career, Sundermier continually pushed beyond what was expected and allowed for her gender and paved the way for future generations of female Marines.  

FORT MEADE, MD, UNITED STATES

04.08.2014

Courtesy Story

Defense Media Activity - Marines

FORT MEADE, Md. - In 1990, a young woman proved to herself and the skeptics that she wasn’t just a pretty face and that she did have what it takes to become one of “the few and the proud.”

Now she is the sergeant major of H&S Battalion at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Here we borrow segments of Sgt. Maj. Toshia Sundermier’s 24 years of service as she continued to push in her career and strive to go and do what had not been done before by her gender.

I went to the Marine recruiter, and the recruiter basically looked at me and said, “Nordstrom is the other way. There’s no way you can do it.” But he didn’t know anything about me.

That was November, and I went to boot camp in January.

My dad served some time in the Army, but I’m the only Marine in my family.

When I was a lance corporal, I asked to go on every deployment. I was told I couldn’t go on a deployment because they didn’t have berthing [on ship] for female Marines.

Finally when I was a staff sergeant, I was able to go.

When I re-enlisted in 1994, I was a corporal and I changed my MOS. When I was motor T, I fixed two things on a vehicle: a window regulator and a high beam switch. But I never fixed anything else. They always put me in the office because I was a female.

In Okinawa there were eight females in my unit. We stuck together, and I’m still friends with those eight females. The last one just retired. Six of us would just go as a pack together everywhere we went.

I didn’t have any plans to stay in after the four years, but every day I just loved it more and more.

While I was a sergeant, I saw a female sergeant major, and I was like, “They do have those. I want to be that.” And I’ve had that goal ever since. I decided I was going to stay in at that point.

When I first came in, we only ran a mile and a half. All we ever heard was, “You just run a mile and a half.” I’m a huge runner, so I would always run two mile-and-a- halfs. I’d finish running one and then I’d go run it again.

When I was a sergeant, they changed it to three miles.

When I got to the drill field, I practiced and practiced and practiced climbing the rope and doing obstacle courses so I could do anything and it would never be a female thing. I didn’t want it to be a female or a male thing — it should simply be something Marines are able to do.

I think I’ve done 20-some crucibles. My daughter was five. I was married at the time. I don’t think I really saw my daughter very much. I cherished every moment that I had with her. I missed so much. But I knew that it was a sacrifice I had to give for work.

When I got back from the drill field, I went out on a MEU. I was the only female staff NCO on the MEU. That was quite the challenge.

I spent a lot of time at work. I’ve sacrificed a lot of time with my daughter because of my three deployments and drill field time twice. I think I’ve sacrificed time with my family.

During that time, my daughter would e-mail me or when I would get on the phone, she would say, “Just get on a helicopter and come home.” We kept getting extended and extended. She was nine at the time.

We have come a long way as female Marines. It’s extremely exciting to me, but it doesn’t mean we’re any better than male Marines. It just means we work harder sometimes to open doors of opportunity that were once closed.

I think when I was young I would have loved to go to ITB because I was very strong and a very strong runner. Those opportunities would have been great. But we weren’t ready for it back then.

I’m proud that the females of today and the future females get those chances. I’m glad that maybe one of us or some of us sitting here now maybe helped pave that way in some shape or form. I have no idea how — but maybe something we said, something we’ve done or the examples we’ve shown in the past have proved that maybe women can do it.

When I was in Fallujah, they were doing the Marine Corps Marathon. I asked Sgt. Maj. Maness if I could go run the marathon. So, Sgt. Maj. Maness made me run my first marathon in green-on-green on Camp Fallujah. It took me four hours and 29 minutes, but I was so proud of that marathon. I’ve run five half-marathons and two marathons.

This year I’m going to run a 30-mile race. My goal is 50 miles. I love to run. I’ve already signed up for a 30-mile race in the Grand Canyon in May. That’s my bucket list. I’m not as young as I used to be.

My grandkids are amazing. They come and visit on the weekends. They know who I am, and I’m not living elsewhere. I got extremely lucky and was extremely blessed to have this duty station.

My focus is on the Marines I serve. I spend most of my time getting to know them on a personal level … what is going on in their personal lives, their professional lives, what they enjoy doing, how their day is going, and what they are looking forward to, professionally and personally.

I love Marines and take my role as their sergeant major very seriously. I cannot adequately do my job as the senior enlisted advisor unless I know them … and I enjoy getting to know each one.

Next year I will transition to civilian life. I have loved each of my 24 years in the Marines and wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Sgt. Maj. Toshia Sundermier lists the top four achievements that helped shape her career.

Education

My most important achievement is education. Since I was promoted to GySgt, I promised myself to earn a higher degree with each promotion. I earned an associate’s degree at GySgt when I was an instructor at the Academy in Okinawa. A bachelors degree as 1stSgt, and will graduate with a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management this summer. I earned my bachelor’s degree on the drill field as a 1stSgt and that was very difficult because of the demands on my time. I feel that is one way to set the example to always seek improvement.

Deployments

I have been honored to deploy to both Iraq and Afghanistan, and Kosovo earlier in my career. I have also served on a MEU. My operational time has helped shape who I am as a leader. I learned how to care for Marines, while demanding they perform at their very best every day. I served along side some amazing Marines during those deployments and count them among my best friends to this day. I also have witnessed how women in the Marine Corps have come so far. My last deployment to Afghanistan I was the First Sergeant of an Engineer company we built Fiddlers Green, COP Payne and many other Fobs within Afghanistan. I was so proud of those Marines. They were amazing! Anywhere I went on the battlefield I was received professionally and welcomed. Not one person made me feel like they had an issue with me being a woman. Shows me that we have come far. Makes me smile.

The Drill Field

My time as a drill instructor is something I am very proud of. After a successful first tour, I was reassigned to the drill field as a 1stSgt, so I have done 6 years on the drill field helping shape future Marines. Although the work is extremely demanding, it is also very rewarding. I learned a lot about leadership and served under some very good leaders and some poor leadership …. both helped shape me into the person I am today.

Right Now

I am proud of my current assignment. After a short tour at Weapons Training Bn, I have been assigned to Hq & Spt Bn, which has over 1,600 Marines and has been redesignated as a colonel-level command. The daily challenges are immense and keep me very busy, but I also find incredible joy in working with some amazing Marines. We have some great 1stSgts and I really enjoy working with them and also enjoy working with the staff at MCI-East. Together, we are doing great things for the Marines at Camp Lejeune!

• Date Taken: 04.08.2014
• Date Posted: 04.15.2014 14:31
• Story ID: 126070
• Location: FORT MEADE, MD, US