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Marine Private First Class Amanda Issa

by Jonn Lilyea••43

Marine Private Amanda Issa

DVIDS reports about Marine Private First Class Amanda Issa who graduated from Marine Corps boot camp last week. She and her family came to the United States from a Turkish refugee camp after they escaped ISIS in Mosul, Iraq;

Amanda Issa, a teenager when she moved to the U.S., referred to the Marines she saw in Mosul as heroes. Now, a Marine private first class herself, she wears the same Eagle, Globe, and Anchor and has the potential to be a hero for another little girl. She graduated in the top 10 in her high school and went on to earn an associates degree in global studies from Oakland Community College before enlisting in the Marine Corps.

On Jan. 19, 2016, she stepped on Parris Island’s iconic yellow footprints only to be injured a month later on a conditioning hike. The injury was bad enough that doctors told her she could be medically separated. She fought that prospect and ended up returning to training and eventually graduating with Platoon 4034, Papa Company, 4th Recruit Training Battalion, on Sept. 30, 2016.

Thanks to SSG E for the tip.

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43 thoughts on “Marine Private First Class Amanda Issa”

    1. Last transmission……non sequitur.This marine is going to be an asset to the green team..WHERE EVERY DAYS A HOLIDAY AND EVERY MEALS A BANQUET……

  7. Congratulations young Amanda! Proud you are serving and I wish you all the best in your career.

  10. The injury was bad enough that doctors told her she could be medically separated. She fought that prospect and ended up returning to training and eventually graduating

    Now that my friends is a real deal Marine, born hard and trained hard.

  11. I know there’s snark behind the ‘winning hearts and minds’ adage — but sometimes it’s very real.

    Congratulations to this fine young Marine!

  14. Yet another Muslim woman making so many muslim men everywhere look like the cowards they are.

    Good for her.

    1. I can’t find any source that says she is muslim. There’s a good chance her family left Mosul during the purges of 2010 when thousands of Christian families that call themselves chaldeans or aramaeans or assyrians left in utter terror for their lives to be with other christian minorities in Turkey.

  15. So, I guess they’ll have to re-name “Parris Island school for wayward boys”…..

    Good on ya, Private.

  19. There’s a lesson here for every high schooler and millennial slacker in the country. “See this young lady? Came here with nothing, made herself a success! Pride in the country that took her in! She didn’t say “what’s in it for me”, she said “how can I repay you”?” Outfuckingstanding, PFC Issa!

  23. Welcome to the family, young lady. Don’t mind your older brothers. As crude as we are, we’ll show you respect and will grin as you give us shit right back.

  24. Reading the story I learned that she also became a naturalized citizen.

    A very moving time for her, from the photograph. Can we have her go talk on these college campuses to the special snowflakes who don’t get it?

    1. Oh hell yeah! She’d give them a whole new definition of “trigger”! I’d pay to see that.

      Congrats PFC Issa. The Marines and the US are lucky to have you.

  25. Welcome aboard, Marine. Thanks for being an American and congratulations on making PFC outta Recruit Training. Semper Fidelis!

  27. Pingback: In The Mailbox: 10.03.16 : The Other McCain

  29. Well done Marine!

    I hope she gets to kick some Daesh-bag ass, so they never see heaven because they were killed by a woman. 🙂

  30. That her family escaped Iraq is impressive. She came to a new country, was a honor graduate in high school and them earned an associates. All impressive.
    Then became a Marine impressive.
    What strikes me as most impressive is she spent over NINE FLIPPING MONTHS to earn it.
    I’ve been in the Recruit training environment and Iv’e seen young men who actually were pretty good kids wilt and give up at the prospect of having to be recycled, even for a week.
    It looks like she spent about 6 months recuperating, all the while putting up with the head games of being a recruit.
    Shes smart and tough, but most of all she’s grateful to be an American.
    She proves that SOME of these refugees deserve a shot.

      1. “That’s not the point of this article. She’s more than just physical features.”

        IDC SARC would still hit it.

  33. I almost feel sorry for whoever is on the wrong end of this girl’s rifle.

    Well….not really.

    Congrats Marine. You make us proud.

  34. When were Marines even in Mosul for her to look up to them? It would be kind of funny if she saw Soldiers and wanted to be a Marine just like them lol.

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