Sgt. Ronnda Cooper joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1998 as the first woman in her family to enlist in the armed services. She did this with the discouragement of her grandmother: a college graduate and school teacher who wanted more for Ronnda than what she thought the military could offer.
As you can imagine, anyone who joined the Marine Corps in 1998 was likely still in the service following the attacks on September 11th. That’s exactly what happened. Ronnda ended up deploying and fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
After leaving the Marine Corps, she reenlisted in the Army in 2007
Since retiring from the Army, Ronnda has taken on the personal mission of attaining higher education and serving the black community in any way she can. An easy feat for a Master's Degree-holding member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated. Needless to say, her grandmother is very proud of her.
Ronnda’s story is one of courage and tenacity. The courage to step into the unknown with no one to guide you. And the tenacity to keep going even when failure seemed inevitable.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.