Super-fit mother graduates from Army boot camp at age of FIFTY ONE with higher score than recruits less than half her age

A 51-year-old woman has outperformed recruits less than half her age after graduating from U.S. Army Basic Combat Training with one of the highest physical fitness test scores in her company.

Army Sergeant Sandra Coast, who had to lose 30lbs just to qualify, achieved better scores than both her male and female peers, who have an average age of 23.

Indeed, they are closer in age to her son, Jeff, himself in the U. S. Marine Corps, than they are to her.

Super-fit: Army Sergeant Sandra Coast, 51, got better physical fitness scores than recruits less than half her age in Basic Combat Training

This didn't stop her from pitting herself against them though.



Her first sergeant, Army 1st Sgt John Byars said: 'I was impressed, because she can do everything the younger soldiers do. She never expected us to feel sorry for her...

'She is a prime example that age is just a number. She ran faster than soldiers young enough to be her kids.'

Her age was a number though, before she enlisted, that would have prevented her from joining had she not already served in the Navy from 1982 until 1993.

'When I was at the recruiter's office with my son, I walked into the Army recruiting office and said "I want to join"'

She gave up her life as a sailor to raise her son Jeff, but when he joined the Marines on graduating high school, she was inspired to fulfil a long-held desire to return to the military herself.

'When I was at the recruiter's office with my son, I walked into the Army recruiting office and said "I want to join,"' she recalled.



'I have a friend in the Navy that was emailing me from Afghanistan. It's his third combat tour in seven years.



Determined: The mother-of-one, who admits using the heavy weapons took its toll on her, had to lose 30lbs just to qualify for the programme

'I don't know, I can't explain it. I just had this overwhelming desire to give back to the military somehow. I was doing the same job day after day after day. I can't live my life that way. There is more to life than this, so I ended up in basic training.'

Basic Combat Training was a far cry from her earlier experience in the military, though.

Proud: Marine Jeff Coast called his mother 'hardcore' and says he hopes he is as active as his mother at 51

'I wasn't quite expecting to be running around with an M16 and all of this gear,' she said. 'This is nothing even remotely similar to being a sailor. .. Shooting this weapon with all of the gear on takes a toll on me.'

It was especially difficult spending time with so many younger recruits, she added.

'Everything about basic training is pretty tough, but living with more than 30 teenage females is one of the hardest things,' she revealed.

Despite Army Sergeant Coast's physical fitness, she will not go on to serve in active duty. Instead, she will work in a 'virtual' unit that tackles situations via telephone and internet.

Her son, Marine Corps Pfc Jeff Coast, is especially proud of her achievement.



'She is doing what most people her age would consider crazy,' he said. 'I think she is hardcore. I hope when I get older I am still active and do all kinds of cool stuff.'

But, returning the compliment, she said her role as a mother is her proudest title.