TRENDING
This Marine Veteran Leads A Surprising Double Life
Small Beginnings
Small town girl, Shannon Ihrke, grew up in Minnesota enjoying a myriad of outdoor activities from horseback riding to fishing and hunting. She could hold her own against any guy but quickly realized that she had outgrown her rural hometown and looked to move on to bigger and better things. Making her own way in the world soon proved to be more difficult than she had anticipated.
Questioning Her Career
After high school, Ihrke attended a nearby college to earn a degree in marketing. To support herself, she picked up not one, but two jobs in order to make ends meet and found herself wondering if the long days and late nights were even worth it. That’s when she saw the flyer…
Lost In Life
The idea of staying in school and working two jobs didn’t appeal to her, but neither did quitting school to focus on work. Something was missing. One day, she saw a flyer on campus advertising for army enlistment, and suddenly her path became clear.
Determined To Succeed
While researching all of her options, she felt drawn towards joining the Marines. At first she was hesitant, but when the recruiter sized her up and told her she would fail, Ihrke resolved right then and there to prove him wrong, and did she ever..
.
Boot Camp
Ihrke was sent to South Carolina for her training and soon realized the recruiter wasn’t the only person who thought she wouldn’t make it. She said, “A lot of the Marines initially thought that I might not be able to keep up physically, or that I somehow wasn’t ‘as strong’ as them so I made it my mission to prove them wrong.” One by one, as the other women’s strength gave out, Ihrke’s resolve paid off.
Going Home
Against all odds, she successfully completed boot camp and was stationed in South Carolina as an administrative specialist. It didn’t take long before Ihrke was making her way up the chain of command, and after two years in SC, she was transferred to Rock Island, Illinois. In a way, this country girl was coming home, but she was nervous. Would she be as unhappy in the Midwest as she was before?
Sergeant Ihrke
The move was just what Ihrke needed. Not only was she returning “home,” but she was given a new position of Inspector-Instructor. This leadership role allowed her to grow exponentially and earn the respect of her peers. When it came time to step down from being a Marine, she had achieved the rank of sergeant but worried about integrating herself back into civilian life.
Moving Forward
The bond she shared with her fellow Marines and her experiences with them gave Ihrke a newfound purpose moving forward. “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world, but the Marines don’t have that problem,” she said. “I became part of something that was bigger than myself and I loved it.” So, what next for Ihrke?
Civilian Life
A few months before her departure from the Marines, she entered Maxim’s Girl Next Door competition and, to her surprise, was named a finalist. While she entered the competition just for a laugh, this pleasant turn of events opened her eyes to the possibility of a modeling career. But first, she wanted to secure a stable career to fall back on…
Career Opportunities
After her discharge, Ihrke enrolled herself in Elmhurst College with a double major in science and her original marketing degree. With her studies going well, she returned to the idea of modeling and entered herself to be the next Loop Rock Girl for a local radio station. Not surprisingly, she won, and her career took off from there.
Supportive Friends
From becoming the permanent Loop Rock Girl to an MMA ring girl, Ihrke’s dedication and drive came from her early training as a Marine and the amount of support and encouragement she received from her fellow Marines meant the world to her. Unfortunately, not everyone in her life has been as supportive of her new career choice…
Not-So-Supportive Family
Ihrke’s parents are not on board with her modeling career which often has their daughter posing in provocative poses and outfits. Ihrke said in an interview, “My family is a very Christian and conservative family originally from a small town in Minnesota. When I started modeling, my mom said, ‘I don’t know about that.’ She wanted me to stay in the Marine Corps…” Despite her parents’ objections, her modeling career continued to grow.
Sports Illustrated
One of Ihrke’s biggest achievements was landing a deal with Sports Illustrated magazine. Her training and years of service taught her the discipline to stick to a strict workout regime which definitely came in handy when landing this job. But Ihrke was so much more than a great model…
Giving Back
She recently started her own charity called “Committed to Courage.” Her goal with it is to give back to those who have served and are currently serving in the military. Even though she is no longer on active duty, Ihrke felt compelled to continue to aid her fellow servicemen and women in her own way. Her strong sense of patriotism is what drew certain brands to her and won her modeling jobs.
Brand Ambassador
One specific company, 1776 United, immediately signed her on as a brand ambassador. The clothing line features patriotic phrases and images, with their company goal being, “to evoke a sense of patriotism found in our forefathers.” Ihrke’s positive image made her the perfect candidate for the job.
Instagram Fame
As her career grew, so did her online presence. She’s currently amassed a following of over 72,000 on her Instagram account which combines photos of her modeling with throwbacks to her time serving in the Marines. As for her love life, that’s also piqued the interest of her fans…
Lucky In Love
Many people questioned if Ihrke would find love with another Marine. In the past, she had made it clear that she was open to dating within the military, and now it seems she’s found love with a fellow Marine. She took to her Instagram to share a photo of them together at the 2017 Marine Corps Ball saying, “How did I get so lucky?!”
Equestrian At Heart
Ihrke’s social media accounts aren’t just for sharing Instagram-worthy photos though. She hopes to use her platform to inspire girls to live healthy, balanced lives. She was always extremely athletic growing up and got her love of horseback riding from her dad. She’s honest with her followers about the hard work and dedication required to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Love Yourself
That doesn’t mean Ihrke doesn’t know how to relax and enjoy a burger. Her love for food is apparent and she’s not afraid who knows it. She wants to encourage women to love their bodies and exercise to be strong…not “skinny.”
College Graduate
Her continued dedication and drive to excel at whatever she puts her mind to paid off, and she was soon graduating from college. With her degree in hand and a whole modeling career already established, there’s nothing Ihrke can’t accomplish. Still, her goals and dreams continue to grow..
Bigger And Better
In addition to being asked to become a ProElite MMA ring girl, Ihrke was also signed as a ring girl for an all-women’s fighting organization, Invicta FC. Now, she’s thinking even bigger and wants to make it to the UFC as a ring girl.
Rise To The Challenge
She’s always looked to challenge herself in every way possible. She shared that, “When I heard that the Marine Corps was the toughest, I knew that was the branch I wanted to be a part of.” Ihrke has never been one to shy away from anything and she’s bringing that attitude to her modeling career.
The Big Question
When recently asked about why she and so many others decide to enlist, Ihrke said, “Some Marines fight for our politicians, but most do not. We fight for our families, our friends, and most of all for our brothers and sisters to the left and right of us in uniform.”
Always Bleed Green
It’s no surprise that Shannon Ihrke’s story and career has gone viral. It’s not often you come across people who are as dedicated to their country and career as she is. Although, she did confess that, “Had I not had other dreams I still wanted to accomplish in my life, I would have re-enlisted without hesitation…and although I am no longer on active duty, I will always bleed green.” So, what’s her advice to others?
Advice To Live By
“Don’t ever stop pushing yourself, and don’t ever stop trying to get better and become a better person over-all. That’s how I got where I am today,” she says. “I constantly work at improving myself in every aspect. If a little girl from Walker, Minnesota can become a Marine and also successfully model, then the skies truly are the limit.”
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