She called me fat when I was in reception and told me the drill sergeant’s was gone do locker inspections on me. She was definitely cool as hell though
In 2019, Janina Simmons graduated U.S. Army Ranger School, becoming widely reported as the first Black woman to earn the Ranger Tab. Long days. Little sleep. Heavy rucks. Constant pressure. And she still finished.
Then life hit harder than any phase of Ranger School. In September 2023, Janina was diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroendocrine cancer, with tumors already spread throughout her body. And yet—she kept showing up. Kept leading. Kept fighting. Not for attention, but because that’s who she is.
On June 8, 2025, she hit another milestone: Sergeant Major — recognized in profiles as the first female Army Ranger graduate to reach the rank, still wearing that Ranger Tab with pride.
Janina calls herself “an ordinary Joe,” and her message is simple: do a little extra, keep a goal, and become extraordinary. That’s leadership.
#MilitaryTuesday