Photo By Cpl. Abigail Brown | Cpl. Felice Steinberg, noncommissioned officer in charge of the Marine Corps Air...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. — Three years ago, Cpl. Felice Steinberg was a gymnastics major at Kent State University. She had trained 30-40 hours a week through high school to make it where she was in gymnastics, level 10, which is right below elite.
One day after gymnastics practice she took a challenge that would change her life forever. She had plans to enlist in the Marine Corps after college graduation, but she still enjoyed participating in the recruiter pull-up challenges to earn T-shirts.
“I had no idea there were recruiters just for officers, so after I did their challenge I started talking to them about my opportunities in the Corps thinking they were enlisted,” said the Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron armory non-commissioned officer in charge. “When I found out I could complete what I thought was enlisted boot camp, between my junior and senior years in college, I signed up.”
Three weeks later, on May 17, 2008, Steinberg shipped out to Officer Candidate School. She soon realized that she was not at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island.
After completing the course she decided she had to get out of the program and enlist like her father, she said. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of — it just wasn’t in my heart.”
Shortly after returning from OCS, she made the switch and shipped out to Parris Island to walk in her father’s boots.
“It wasn’t as much of a shock after being at OCS,” Steinberg said. “It was very physical and I enjoyed all the physical training.”
Thirteen weeks later, she graduated as her platoon guide and company honor-woman. Although now an enlisted Marine, Steinberg still practices the leadership she learned at OCS.
“There’s something she learned going through the officer training she brought with her to the enlisted side,” said Staff Sgt. Anthony Buonanno, staff non-commissioned officer in charge of Marine Corps Air Station New River Ordnance. “She’s tactful, knows her job well, knows Marine Corps knowledge, and presents herself as a Marine on and off duty.”
Once she made it to the ‘fleet,’ Steinberg began missing her beloved gymnastics. To make up for it, her mother recommended CrossFit — a “principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide,” according to http://www.crossfit.com.
“As soon as I saw the CrossFit Wilmington gym, I fell in love,” Steinberg said. “It looked like the gymnastics gyms I was used to and the workouts are short, but intense.”
After working out at the gym for six months under the coaching of Tony Cowdan, the gym owner, she was invited to join the coaching team.
“CrossFit fits my work schedule and life,” Steinberg, the Marine and Marine wife, said.
Although her routine workouts are easy to fit in, Steinberg has a goal that will take more time.
“I made it to regionals last year during the CrossFit Games,” she said.
Regionals comprise the fittest 60 men, 60 women, and 30 teams from each of the 17 regions around the world, according to crossfit.com.
“Unfortunately the timing was bad with an armory inspection and my husband’s homecoming, so I didn’t compete,” she said. “My goal is to make it past the regionals to the CrossFit Games, which is the top three females, males and teams from each region.”
Steinberg’s driven work ethic is seen by others on and off the job.
“She can run a men’s physical fitness test and when people see her in the gym they stare because she’s so physically fit it’s impressive,” Buonanno said. “Not many people can do full handstand pushups.”
Steinberg is a model Marine and a first pick as a mentor, he added.
Although a great asset to the Corps, she plans to move on after her first enlistment is over.
“I’ve enjoyed my time, learned a lot and I will always take that with me,” she said. “I’m just ready to start a new chapter in my life.”
Traits she displays daily as a Marine will aid her on the path to success in her civilian endeavors.
“No matter what she does then, she will be successful,” Buonanno commented. “She’s a hard worker, outgoing, comical person who will do anything for her friends and family, and doesn’t like to fail at anything she does.”
As she moves on, Steinberg said she will always be proud of her service as a Marine, what they stand for and who they are — that has been enough.
| Date Taken: | 10.04.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 10.04.2011 11:36 |
| Story ID: | 77987 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 475 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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