A woman is embarking on a new adventure and when she does it, she will be the first female from Orlando to do it.

Orlando's 1st female Army infantry recruit preparing for basic training

Briana Conde, 18, graduated from University High School

Conde leaves for Fort Benning, Georgia, at end of July

"I wanted to be able to do something that would change me mentally and physically," Briana Conde said Thursday. "Make me better and stronger."

Conde, 18, enlisted in the infantry of the U.S. Army. She will leave for 14 weeks of basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, at the end of the month.

For Conde, the decision to enlist took some time. For her parents, it took even longer.

Training to train

During her junior year at University High School, Conde remembers seeing recruiters from the military in the hallways. She was noncommittal then as one recruiter stopped her.

He was like, 'Hey, what are you doing after high school? You should think of the Army,'" Conde recalled. "I brushed him off. I was like, 'No thanks, it's not for me.'"

Months later with graduating fast approaching, she reconsidered. Her parents, though, weren't sold on the idea. Conde is the youngest of six children and explained her parents were innately concerned.

"My parents said no to me enlisting at 17," she said. "They were hesitant, very hesitant. They said no (and) that I should give it time."

In November, Conde turned 18 years old and enlisted on her own. She eventually got her parents to come around after reminding them of her dedication to high school wrestling and weightlifting.

"They know I love a challenge, and they know really want to push myself," she said.

Over the next few months, Conde was a frequent visitor in the Orlando recruiting office, stopping by to ask questions.

"She came in all the time. And she worked and she worked and she worked," said Sgt. 1st Class Eric Ammerman, a recruiter at the Orlando center on East Colonial Drive. "It came time for job selection, and she came here and had made her list of jobs."

"I looked, and I realized I only picked combat jobs," Conde said.



"Were we surprised? I'll say, a little bit, yeah," Ammerman said. "This is the first female to join the infantry."

Combating pervasive stigmas is not always easy, though. Conde understands it may be an uphill battle.

"I see myself out there, that's kind of who I am," she said.

Changing minds

In 2016, the United States Armed Forces officially lifted the ban on women serving in combat roles. They could previously serve in support roles like transportation, supplies and logistics.

"The important thing is they're being held to the same standard and accomplishing those standards," said Gary Grimes, with the Museum of Military History in Kissimmee. "If they can meet the standards, they should be allowed to be in any type of military occupational specialty that the military has."

Grimes said despite the change in policy, there's still some who don't believe women can do the job. But, quelling naysayers can be done.

"If we don't have individuals that are willing to that step forward and show that they can do it, how do we ever break that thought?" he said.

Conde, too, knows people may doubt her. She remains undeterred.

"Maybe if I can't lift a 200-something thing like a guy can, then I'll make sure I'm two times faster doing this," she said. "Or I know this, I've got the knowledge for it. It's our turn to kind of prove that we can. It's going to be a culture shock for the Army."