Jordan O'Neil

Living… in San Diego, where she’s been nominated for the Navy's Special Reconnaissance program. If she completes the course, she’ll have a fast ticket to any assignment she wants.

Profession… Lieutenant-in-training with Special Reconnaissance. She’s being trained to infiltrate hostile territory– to be the real- time eyes on the ground, recover assigned targets and, if need be, to fight her way out under adverse conditions. The training is brutal, requiring 20-hour days. Sixty percent of all nominees quit, most within the first week.

Interests… fighting to be treated equally among her superiors even though she’s a woman. As she says, “It's this double-standard, the separate quarters, the deferential treatment. It's how they pulled out my chair and nearly served high tea the first time we met. How am I supposed to fit in with these guys when you've got me set up as an outsider?”

Relationship Status… shrouded in false controversy. Claims have been made that she was seen leaving the apartment of another female officer at such a time and in such a manner as to suggest conduct unbecoming. They're very wrong.  And she’d like to know where they got this information. She’s sure it's something they made up to get rid of her.

Challenge… overcoming the odds and overcoming tradition, so she can make the most out of her abilities. But it’s not easy in the testosterone-filled environment she is in. As she says, “Forget the glass ceiling – I'm beating my head on a big brass ceiling.”

Personality… tough. She’s going through with this in the face of zero encouragement.  The more everybody messes with her, messes with her head, the more it just makes her want to finish.