Exhausted Soldier Refuses To Give Up

In the closing moments of a grueling 12-mile road march, Army Capt. Sarah Cudd fell to her knees. She was exhausted, bowed over by the heavy pack on her back and seemingly unable to continue. The soldier continued on, however. Using her rifle to prop herself up, she stumbled to her feet and made it another nine steps before falling again. Other soldiers gathered around her, cheering her on. She rose again, and gritted it out another 50 feet or so until she made it across the finish line while her colleagues erupted in excitement. Video of the April 27 effort at Fort Dix, N.J., was posted to Facebook the following day by fellow soldier Lloyd Mason, and has since gone viral. The clip has been watched more than 1 million times, and shared more than 22,000 times. Mason said Cudd serves with Army Public Health Command at Fort Knox, Ky. The march was the last event required to earn the Army's Expert Field Medical Badge, a decoration awarded to those who pass a rigorous battery of tests for medical professionals in the Army. Less than 25 percent of those who attempt the required course typically pass. The Public Health Command shared the video May 1, and confirmed Cudd earned the badge. Forty-five other soldiers did the same day — but 80 percent of those who attempted the course fell short.