When Alese Rinker isn’t grooming horses or helping students strap on their ski boots, she operates a Paladin artillery cannon at drill weekends with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.
Yes, seriously.
“I’m a 13 Bravo, which is considered a cannon crew member,” she said. “On drill weekends, we work on the gun. It’s called a Paladin,” Rinker explained.
Rinker joined the National Guard in August 2020, seeking something meaningful and practical. “I needed something to pay for my college and I knew I wanted to do something different, and just go on adventures,” she said. “My brother was enlisted in the Marines and my stepdad was in the army for 30 years. So I was like, why not try it out and see how it goes.”
Rinker’s adventurous spirit has persisted, allowing her to complete Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training. Now serving in a highly physical and technical role of operating heavy artillery, she still makes time to work at Grier, play on a women’s tennis team, and study at Bloomsburg University where she majors in business management and minors in criminal justice. She also teaches local tennis teams in her spare time.
A First in Her Field
This year, Rinker reached a significant milestone in her career. “I’m the first-ever female Sergeant in my battery,” she said proudly, adding, “They just allowed females into my MOS [Military Occupation Specialty] like five years ago, maybe seven years ago now.”
Despite the challenges of being in a traditionally male-dominated field, she thrives in her role and encourages other young women to consider similar paths. “I do actually [recommend it],” she said. “It’s a great opportunity, especially the Pennsylvania National Guard because it’s not a full-time commitment. It’s literally one weekend out of the month and then two-ish weeks or three weeks out of the summer.”
Balancing military life with school responsibilities is not always easy. Still, Rinker says it is manageable and well worth it because of the accommodating Guard staff, specifically the non-commissioned officers, or NCOs, who are leaders in her field. “I did tennis in college and horse shows and stuff,” she said. “My Readiness NCO would always work with me.”
Rinker says the most significant adjustment was the switch between military and civilian life. “You go there, and everything is super strict,” she said. “Then coming off of that into the regular civilian world, it’s a little weird because people aren’t always on time and where they’re supposed to be.”
From Riding Boots to Combat Boots
Rinker’s chapter at Grier started long before she became a staff member. “I took a lesson here from Chrystal a long time ago, and I was thinking of going here,” she said, referring to applying to Grier for high school. “I always knew that they had riding here, so when I saw they were hiring, I was like, cool, let’s come work with Chrystal and the horses.”
Since then, she’s spent most of her four years at Grier working in the equestrian program, helping in the barn wherever she can. “I love it. I love horses. I love Chrystal, Frannie, Lauren, and I love the girls,” Rinker recalled fondly, “Just being able to ride all these different horses — it’s just an incredible opportunity that not many people get to have.”
This year, Rinker also started managing the Grier ski club for the first time. “I really didn’t even know they offered it,” she said, specifying that her previous 4-years of working at Grier were spent mainly in the barn.
The Good Kind of Stuck
One of the things Rinker treasures most is the people she’s met—both in uniform and at Grier.
“You get to meet so many different people and that is one of the coolest things,” she said. “There’s people from all over the world, and anytime you’re in a training environment like this—you become close friends with the coolest people.”
She likened this phenomenon to the Grier boarding experience. “You have people from all over here,” she said. “And then you get so close to them and it’s kind of almost like you’re stuck with them. But it’s like… a good stuck?”
Friends and colleagues might often forget how unique her life is—riding horses by weekday, firing cannons by weekend. Yet somehow, she balances both worlds with a steady, calm, and infectious enthusiasm.
Looking Ahead
With her National Guard contract ending next year, Rinker says she’s seriously considering continuing in the program.
“I think I’m going to re-enlist because I really, really like my job,” she said. “I literally get to blow stuff up.”
It’s clear she’s not just doing this for herself— as the first female sergeant in her battery, she’s blazing a path for others to follow, and in doing so, she’s showing young women from Grier and beyond that strength comes in many forms.
If you ever find yourself debating whether or not you can handle a new challenge, remember that there’s a woman at Grier who works with horses, manages skiing, teaches tennis, and “blows stuff up” all in the same week. You too can get out of your comfort zone and do anything you set your mind to!
