Breaking Barriers: A Marine's Journey from Minnesota to Trinidad

In the 1970s, it wasn't cool to join the military. The Vietnam War had divided the nation, and young people who enlisted often faced criticism rather than support. But Sally Martinet wasn't looking for approval. She was looking for something more than small town Minnesota could offer. She wasn't ready for college or marriage, and she wanted to see the world. So she did something few women of her generation dared to do. She joined the United States Marine Corps.

Choosing the Hardest Path

Sally could have chosen the Army or Navy. With her background working in hospitals before enlisting, she probably would have been placed in the medical field. But that's exactly what she didn't want. She wanted to do something different, something where they couldn't pigeonhole her into the expected role for a woman. So she chose the Marines, knowing full well it would be the most challenging path.

She started in the enlisted ranks in supply and warehousing. Over the years, she worked her way up to Gunnery Sergeant, then became a Chief Warrant Officer and eventually a ground supply officer in the 1980s. It was a career that spanned decades and witnessed tremendous change in how the military viewed and utilized women.

When Women Wore Skirts to Physical Training

The changes Sally experienced during her time in the Marines tell the story of women's integration into the military better than any history book. When she first joined, women wore shorts and skirts for physical training. They had makeup classes. They attended social etiquette classes about how to behave at a formal tea. This was the Marine Corps in the early seventies.

But as Sally progressed through different assignments and roles, everything began to transition. Women started wearing camouflage uniforms like the men. They learned to shoot weapons, though Sally didn't get that training in boot camp since she had already been in when the changes began. She participated in test pilot programs designed to determine what women could and couldn't do physically. She was part of the generation proving that women belonged in every aspect of military service.

At one point early in her career, Sally was pulled from her supply role to be a tour guide in a museum. She had joined the Marine Corps to serve her country and challenge herself, not to give tours. She put in a request to get out of that assignment and succeeded. Later, she went on recruiting duty, but even then, women couldn't actually be recruiters in the late seventies. She worked in contracting and supply for five states instead. There were still so many places women hadn't been allowed to go, and Sally kept pushing those boundaries.

Earning Respect One Assignment at a Time

One of Sally's most memorable experiences involved changing the mind of a senior officer who had never worked with women Marines. She was assigned to work for Major Colonel Relow at RS Minneapolis, a Vietnam veteran who had spent his entire career in infantry. When their supply chief left, Sally saw an opportunity to step into that role. The colonel's response was immediate and honest. He had never had a woman Marine work for him.

Sally asked him to give her a year, and then they would see. Two and a half years later, that same colonel thanked her and told her he would work with women Marines from that point forward. She had changed his perspective simply by doing excellent work and proving her capability. They remain close friends to this day, a relationship built on mutual respect earned through service.

That story encapsulates Sally's entire career. She didn't set out thinking she was a trailblazer. She was simply facing challenges and moving forward. She wanted to do things that were challenging, so she kept pushing ahead. Only looking back can she see how she and other women of her generation paved the way for those who came after.

Motherhood and Military Service

Sally's journey as a working mother in the military reveals just how much changed during her years of service. When she had her first son, there were no maternity uniforms. Less than 5 percent of women who became pregnant got to stay on active duty. Sally had to get special permission to continue serving, and she wore civilian clothes throughout her pregnancy.

By the time she had her fifth child, she was signing paperwork for her camouflage military maternity uniform as a matter of routine. What had been nearly impossible for her first pregnancy had become standard procedure. The military had evolved, and Sally had been part of that evolution every step of the way.

She and her late husband, also a retired Marine who served as a Chief Warrant Officer Four, raised five children together. Their oldest son just retired two years ago as Sergeant Major of the Third Marine Division, continuing the family's legacy of service. All of their children enjoyed their time growing up in the military, particularly the six years the family spent in Okinawa, Japan. The children got to experience a completely different culture, and those experiences shaped who they became.

A Family Legacy of Service

The most memorable moment for Sally since retiring came full circle, connecting three generations of Marines in one ceremony. Her oldest son Michael's daughter joined the Marines, following in the footsteps of her grandmother, grandfather, and father. When it came time for her promotion to Lance Corporal, Sally was able to put her uniform back on and conduct the promotion.

A colonel who attended the ceremony came up to Sally afterward with tears in his eyes. He told her he had thought it was special when he got to promote his own daughter. But to have a grandmother promoting her granddaughter, that was something truly extraordinary. For Sally, it was one of the greatest blessings of her life, seeing the legacy of service continue and being able to participate in such a meaningful way.

The family now has four generations of military service, starting with Sally's father and uncles in World War II, then Sally and her late husband, their son, and now their granddaughter. It's a remarkable legacy of commitment to country and service.

Finding Home in Trinidad

Sally's late husband grew up in Trinidad, Colorado. He was born and raised there, and Sally first visited in 1979 when they were both on recruiting duty in Minnesota. She remembers a vibrant downtown with little stores and people filling the streets. It was a community with life and energy.

When it came time to retire from the military, they considered moving to Trinidad but had five children still at home, ranging from tenth grade to kindergarten. Moving them from Japan to a small town in southern Colorado didn't seem feasible at the time, so the family settled in Pueblo instead. They raised their children there, and after the kids were grown, Sally and her husband restored a home they had inherited in Walsenburg. That's where Sally lives now, staying connected to her late husband's roots and the community he loved.

Sally is active in veteran organizations in Trinidad, volunteering when she can and working to give back to the community. She believes strongly in being a good example for young people, for her children and grandchildren, showing them how to give back and contribute meaningfully to society.

A True North of Integrity

When asked about her code of conduct, the principle she carries with her from military service into everyday life, Sally doesn't hesitate:

"My true north is integrity. You have to be honest and you have to work hard. And just move forward."

That philosophy has guided her through decades of service, through raising five children, through loss and triumph, through every challenge and opportunity. From integrity flows everything else, including her faith. She knows she's not in charge of the universe, and that understanding brings both humility and peace.

Sally believes in staying independent, working hard, volunteering, and helping other people. She wants to be a good example, demonstrating through her actions what it means to live with purpose and principle. It's not complicated, but it requires commitment and consistency.

What Veterans Day Means

For Sally, Veterans Day is about honoring the legacy of service in her family and in the nation. Her father served in World War II. Her brother served in the Coast Guard. Sally came in during the Vietnam era. She knows there are those willing to sacrifice and do what needs to be done to protect the country as it was founded and the people who call it home.

That commitment to country comes first, then to the people. It's a priority that Sally believes strongly in, especially in today's climate where those values sometimes seem under attack. She's not afraid to speak about her beliefs, and she encourages others to do the same. We need to keep the basics, she insists. Our country comes first, and we shouldn't be afraid to say that.

Advice for the Next Generation

Sally sees challenges facing young people today that concern her. The basics aren't always being taught anymore. ROTC has largely been removed from public schools, eliminating one pathway for young people to learn discipline, service, and leadership. She worries about how we're building the next generation and what values we're passing down.

Her advice is simple but profound. Work hard and be honest. Wake up every day and give everything you have, so when you go to sleep at night, you're tired. Leave it all on the field, as the football saying goes. Don't hold back. Don't take shortcuts. Invest fully in whatever you're doing.

Sally loves football, so that analogy resonates with her. She cheers for both the Denver Broncos and the Minnesota Vikings, her adopted home state and her birth state coming together. Depending on which team is doing better in any given year, that's where her loyalty shifts. She wears purple and orange with equal enthusiasm.

Bringing Trinidad Back to Life

One of Sally's hopes for the community is to see Trinidad return to the vibrant place she first visited in 1979. The town needs to bring younger families in, create opportunities for industry and employment, give people reasons to come and reasons to stay. The schools need to grow again. The downtown needs to fill with shops and people and energy.

Sally recognizes that people who are involved in the community need to take responsibility for that vision. It won't happen by accident. It requires intentional effort, investment, and commitment. But she believes it's possible, and she's willing to do her part to make it happen.

When Lisa Camarillo from Phil Long Toyota interviews job candidates from out of town, she always asks them to bring their spouses. She knows it takes a whole family to support the person who's working, whether that's the wife or the husband. Sally understands that truth deeply. Her late husband supported her career, and she supported his. Together they built a life and a family that honored both their commitments.

A Legacy of Breaking Barriers

Sally Martinet didn't set out to be a trailblazer. She was simply a young woman from Minnesota who wanted to see more of the world and challenge herself. But in pursuing her own goals and refusing to accept limitations, she helped open doors for countless women who came after her.

She earned respect in a male dominated institution not by demanding it, but by demonstrating excellence. She raised five children while maintaining a successful military career. She navigated constant change and helped shape that change through her presence and performance. She proved that women could do the job, whatever the job happened to be.

Now, watching her granddaughter serve and having the honor of promoting her, Sally sees the fruit of that labor. The barriers she and women of her generation broke down mean her granddaughter faces fewer obstacles. The path is still challenging, as military service always will be, but it's more open than it was fifty years ago.

As Sally reflects on promoting her granddaughter, the significance is clear:

"A colonel came up and told me, he said, I thought it was cool that I got to promote my daughter, but to have a grandmother promoting her granddaughter."

That moment represents everything Sally worked for, everything she sacrificed for, everything she believes in. Service, family, legacy, and the continuation of values that matter. Integrity, honesty, hard work, and moving forward.

Sally Martinet may not think of herself as a pioneer, but that's exactly what she is. And Trinidad, Colorado, is fortunate to count her as part of its community.

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