For some, being in the United States military means more than just fighting for our country -- it means fighting for an athletic win as well.
For the past few weeks, male and female boxers have been here at Fort Huachuca training to compete for spots on the All Army Boxing Team. Those who win will then compete at higher levels, with an end goal of qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
And from the looks of it, there are some very eager and qualified candidates including a female boxer with an unusual background and history.
Melissa Parker, a 27-year-old specialist from New York, is currently assigned to the Army's World Class Athlete Program but her boxing career began well before she joined the Army.
After just starting a new school in Connecticut at 15, Parker attended the wake of one of her classmates. Part of the wake, she explained, was held at a local boxing club.
"I didn't even know amateur boxing existed," Parker said, "but the coach told me to just give it one try. So I came back and tried it and just absolutely fell in love with the complexity of it and all the challenges that you have to overcome just to get in the ring."
Almost immediately the wins began for her. The following week, Parker's then-coach put her in the ring against a guy -- and she won.
Her life as a boxer has been far from traditional, but when you have served in two different military branches, what can be considered 'normal'?
When growing up, Parker was athletic, playing various sports such as gymnastics, swimming, softball and track. But she says when she began boxing, "it just consumed me. It was strictly school, work, and boxing, and then it got to the point where I quit working to focus more on my boxing."
In 2005, Parker represented the United States in the Women's World Championships in Russia placing fifth in the world, which she considers her greatest success thus far.
"That experience is like none other," she said. "When you see the American flag among all the other country's flags, and you know that you defeated everyone in the United States that fought their hardest to beat you … it was amazing."
In 2009, she earned the Triple Crown Title by winning all three major Boxing National Championships in the United States, placing her number one in the country, all four quarters that year.
Parker had little family support as a teen boxer. Her mother, who she lived with at the time, was against Parker's dream -- so much so that to this day, her mother still has not attended a single boxing match.
Parker explained that recently her mother has shown some interest in watching her daughter in the ring. But at this point, Parker has a better idea.
"When she brings it up, I work my way around it," she said. "I want her first experience to be getting on that plane with me to be in the biggest tournament of the world. I want her to be able to stand next to me and say 'Wow! So this is what you have worked so hard for.' When I make the Olympics, I'm going to take her."
In 2006 Parker enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. After her time in the Marine Corps ended in 2010, she was assigned to the Inactive Ready Reserves. During this time, she continued to box with the Marine Corps boxing team but the Army had other plans for her.
"As soon as Coach Lev found out that I was out of the Marines, he was trying to recruit me," Parker said. "I would always laugh and say 'I'm a Marine; you're never going to see me in the Army.' But inside I always knew they had the best program with a good-sized team.
"Finally, one day, I said, 'I tell you what, let me do a couple of tournaments with you. If you look out for me, train with me, and help me out while I compete, and it goes well, then I will join the Army."
And so in December of last year, her All Army Boxing career began.
"They went above and beyond for me, not knowing if I would really join or not," Parker said. "But I kept my word and I joined. It's been great so far and I love it."
Parker is married and has two children, which she said is difficult at times when she is away from them willingly to fulfill her boxing dreams. But she and her husband have worked out a plan.
She explained that when her husband saw how miserable she was when not boxing, he told her to go for it.
"Finally he agreed," she said. "He said 'You know what? Go for 2016 [Olympics] … We can work around your competitions but just promise me that [after that] you will stay home.'"
When she gets tired, stressed, or when she loses motivation, Parker says she gets through by reminding herself how much she loves what she does.
"There are times when I get a little discouraged but I just stop and think about it," Parker explained. "I'm almost 28 and I have two kids. I've been doing this so long. I just recently came back and I haven't been winning as much as I would like but I keep improving. So I just keep telling myself with each improvement I am one step closer to what I want, so I can't give up."
Don't be fooled by Parker's petite size and winning smile. Putting her victorious history aside, this Soldier has fight, dedication, and love for the boxing ring.
"Even if I didn't make it to the Olympics, I want to know that I gave it my all and I walked away leaving it all in the ring," Parker said. "I don't want to sit back and think that I could have done something more. I want to know that I was beat because she was better, not because I lacked [anything] anywhere. That is why I am always improving and working that much harder."
"2016 isn't ever going to come again," she added. "You only get one shot. I can never get time back, so what's the point in wasting it."
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