September 28, 2025
Lt. Col. Rhonda C. Martin joined the Marines when she was just 19.
When Lt. Col. Rhonda C. Martin was just 19, she accidentally stepped into a Marine Corps recruiting office while on her way to apply for the Peace Corps. According to a service press release last week, that chance decision turned into a distinguished 42-year military career — making her the longest-serving active-duty Marine. Martin is set to retire at the end of this month.
She began her journey as an administrative specialist before rising to the role of drill instructor, at a time when women were still not allowed to wear the Marine Corps’ iconic campaign cover. In 1996, she earned her commission as an officer, later deploying several times, including in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Reflecting on her career, Martin highlighted the progress she witnessed — and contributed to — in opening doors for women Marines. “To say that I came in and saw so much progress for Marines, and especially female Marines, over my time … it hits me really hard,” she said.
Her service spanned from the mid-1980s, when women were first allowed to qualify with the M16A2 rifle, to the Pentagon’s landmark decision more than two decades later to lift the ban on women serving in direct combat roles. “It’ll be tough, but I’ve had 42 years of doing what I love, and I’m leaving at a time when the Marine Corps is stronger than ever,” Martin said.
Colleagues praised her leadership and steady presence in difficult times. She was credited with boosting morale and keeping calm after a Marine helicopter crash in Nepal in 2015 claimed the lives of the pilots, crew, and two combat cameramen. “When she came to us, we had a source of positive energy,” recalled Lt. Col. Cassandra Stanton, who served alongside her.
Martin now serves as assistant chief of staff for manpower at Quantico, Virginia, and will be honored at a retirement ceremony next week. Her official retirement date is Jan. 1, 2026. Looking ahead, she plans to pursue a doctorate degree. Instead of traditional gifts or flowers, Martin has asked that donations be made to Marine Corps education foundations “so service members and their families have additional opportunities to pursue educational goals, advancing their careers and elevating their lives,” according to the release.
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