Turpin a first for Ohio Guard

Tanya Turpin was the first African-American female to serve as sergeant major in the Ohio National Guard.

By EDWIN D.
ROBINSON SR.
(CW2 Army, Retired)

Born in Cassopolis to William “Calvin” and Tannette Turpin, Tanya Turpin, the youngest to her twin sister Tammy, entered into the active Army in 1987.
At age 17 and a single mother, Turpin joined the Army wanting a better life, and was determined to give her son, now Sgt. Stacey L. Turpin, an even better one. He is also an active member of the Ohio Army Guard with the 371st Signal Detachment in Newark, Ohio.
Turpin said he is her “greatest supporter and inspiration.”
The Turpins are following a family tradition of military service in that both Tanya Turpin’s grandfathers served in the Army during the Vietnam War.
After 13 years in the regular Army, Tanya re-enlisted into the Ohio Army National Guard and 24 years later, on Oct. 5, 2011, from master sergeant, she was promoted as the Ohio Guard’s first African-American female to the rank of sergeant major (SGM).
During her years of service, Tanya’s goal had always been to retire at the highest rank of the Enlisted Corps ­­­— E-9 (sergeant major). However, Tanya hadn’t thought she might probably be the first to break through the preverbal “glass ceiling” that no African-American female had yet reached — SGM in the Ohio Army National Guard. Yet, it wasn’t until she was promoted to master sergeant and she began to set her sights on sergeant major.
Turpin accredits some of her success to Maj. Mark Hatfield, who mentored her and believed in her.
She said: “He pushed me to believe that I could do anything I put my mind to.”
She soon realized that there had not been a black female promoted to SGM before her in the Ohio Guard, so she set her sight on yet another goal.
Her interest spiked her enthusiasm as she started applying and attending the various required military schools for training and further education that would prepare and support her path to the next higher grade.
Turpin knew that achieving the grade and honor would mean mentoring other females, which was an accepted challenge, especially after facing the many doubts and beliefs that women could not do what most men did.
She recalls being told that as a younger enlistee during her enrollment in a School for the Primary Leadership Development Course, where she and two other female soldiers attended, passed and proved the statement wrong. Yet, Turpin was willing to accept the challenges placed before her.
The Ohio Guard had been for decades an organization predominately of white males, especially in the senior grades and higher ranks of the commissioned officers, although is slowly changing. Turpin’s goal became a dream for her on Oct. 1, 2011, as she was pinned by her mother, Tannette Turpin, during her promotional ceremony at the Guard’s newest facility in Columbus, Ohio.
Turpin has since been amazed and somewhat shocked and in some fashion believes her promotion has made a difference in what can be accomplished. She hopes that she is not the last one.
SGM Turpin was assigned as the SGM for HHC 16th ENG BDE, where she follows the footsteps of the Ohio Guard’s first female sergeant major, Verna Henderson, in March 1999, which cracked “the good ol’ boys’” glass ceiling.
Turpin is currently enrolled in the Sergeant Major Academy.
Turpin’s advice to those seeking the next higher rank or grade in this organization is to stick to it. It can be tough.
“If you start it, see it through,” she said.

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