Master Sgt. Wu first female NCO to complete U.S. Marine Corps training

She was also broke ground as the only female foreign military personnel to graduate from the 80-member class of April 2008 of the two-month advanced course.

Wu said she had to overcome a series of obstacles to graduate, including English-language tests and physical tests.

She was petite compared with much taller and stronger American classmates.

Wu managed to complete a running test within 32 minutes for 4,800 meters. She also finished a cross-county run in the mountain region in one hour, beating the required time of one hour and 30 minutes.

The training programs she attended included tough physical skills, expedition, map reading, leadership, warfare history, urban battle analysis and strategies, attack and defense tactics, and rescue and medical assistance missions.

Growing up in a military family, Wu aspired to become a police officer.

But she joined the military instead to become a non-commissioned officer after graduating from high school in southern Pingtung County.

Wu was later assigned to the Marine Corps where her latest position was serving as a statistician.

She has become a role model for a growing number of military officers in different branches of Taiwan’s armed forces that saw a surge of female recruits in recent years.

As the nation’s military is undergoing a transition to the voluntary armed forces formed by voluntary and profession troops who have to serve for longer years.

The new and recruiting system is to gradually replace the current conscription system which require all able-bodied men to serve for just one year.

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