Army Lieutenant Colonel Lisa Jaster is a soldier, an engineer, a wife and mother, and a trailblazer. One of only three women to graduate from the first integrated United States Army Ranger program—one of the most difficult combat training courses in the world—Lisa was the first female Army Reserve officer to become a Ranger. She completed the training, which 36 percent of male and female students fail within the first four days, after refusing to succumb to exhaustion and repeatedly “recycling” through, or retrying, several phases of the multi-locational course. Lisa endured the training, which takes a minimum of 61 days and includes up to 20 hours of training per day alongside a strict diet, for a grueling six months. She graduated at age 37, while the average trainee age is 23.

Lisa, fanaticwho continues to train CrossFit and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, has a hard-won understanding of the importance of perseverance, as well as a deeply ingrained respect for camaraderie stemming from a seven-year-long active duty career (including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan). Lisa faced difficult moments throughout her Ranger training and cites the day two other women in the program advanced ahead of her to become the first and second female Rangers as especially trying. But according to Lisa, who is exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau for lectures, “There is no quitting.” Throughout her training, she drew strength from her family, keeping pictures of her two young children with husband Marine Lt. Col. (promotable) Allan Jaster in her pocket and stealing glances between training assignments. With her contagious, energetic personality, Lisa delivers emotional speeches that share key takeaways from her time in the best leadership and operational training course the Army has to offer.

Prior to receiving her Ranger tab, Lisa worked as an engineer with Shell Oil in Houston and an Army Reserve individual mobilization augmentee with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Lisa initially was commissioned in the Army in 2000 after graduating from the prestigious United States Military Academy at West Point, and returned to the reserves in 2012 after a 5 year hiatus from serving. She volunteered for combat training when she discovered the Army Ranger course was being opened to women for the first time in 60 years as a U.S. government experiment to see how women would fare in the notoriously brutal program. Lisa currently works as the Director of Civil Engineering for M&S Engineering during the week and is the Brigade Executive Officer for the 420th Engineer Brigade in the Army Reserve.

Lisa is the recipient of numerous military accolades including two Bronze Star Medals and the Meritorious Service Medal.

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