Drill sergeant proud to serve, play rugby

Army News Service

SAN DIEGO - Shaking, adrenaline pumping, the excited staff sergeant runs in to congratulate her fellow Soldiers as Army wins gold at the Armed Services Women's Rugby Championship here at Nobel Field in San Diego July 13.

For Staff Sgt. Erica Myers, it was another proud moment for her to represent the Army and serve her country.

She was named the female Army Athlete of the Year in 2021.

Family tradition

Her great uncle served in the Army in World War II, her great grandfather, grandfather, uncle and father all served in the Army.

"My family has been in the military for a long time," the Beaumont, Texas, native said proudly. "Everybody's Army. We've been in conflicts such as World War II, the Persian Gulf, Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and so on."

Myers, a military police noncommissioned officer (NCO), volunteered for drill sergeant duty. Upon successfully completing the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy, Myers now instructs the next generation of Soldiers at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

"I start out with tough love but as time goes on, I treat them like my own kids, because it's important to remember yes, we're Soldiers, but we're people," she said. "I get an amazing result. There's no better job in the Army."

She said she loves seeing them graduate.

"There's nothing compared to the way it feels when somebody's mom comes up to you on graduation day and tells you the positive comments your Soldiers were telling them about you," she said. "It's awesome to hear parents tell you that you made an impact on their children's lives."

She encourages the younger generation to consider joining the Army.

"From the day I joined the Army 13 years ago, I haven't had to worry about food in my mouth, clothes on my back or a roof over my head," Myers said. "I've seen some of the most beautiful places in the world. I've met some of the most amazing people in the world. It's something I would choose a thousand times over."

Rugby

Throughout high school in Beaumont, Texas, Myers played softball, and basketball, and ran track and cross country. She went to state nationals her freshman year for basketball.

While stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, she found out about rugby.

"I didn't know anything about rugby," she said. "Nobody knows about it until you go out and try it. I was a young private wanting to get out of the barracks. I was a natural."

Almost 11 years later, she's helping Army win gold at the Armed Services championship or competing in the 7s tournaments.

As one of the rugby team's forwards, Myer's said, "I play hooker because I'm sturdy, strong and retain possession of the ball. I'm in the middle of the scrum. I use my foot to hook the ball back to our team."

She said the rugby team is like a family.

Staff Sgt. Lo Galdones, an Army visual information specialist assigned to Fort Liberty, North Carolina, said Myers saved her life.

"She's my best friend," Galdones said. "She saved my life. There were moments when I was battling with my mental health. I called my mom, and she told me to call Erica. She always has my back through anything. I would face whatever adversary we have one-on-one."

Myers said Armed Forces sports brings cohesion across the services.

"I have friends on the Air Force team I have seen overseas," she said. Myers said the CISM International Military Sports Council motto is friendship through sports.

She was on the US team comprised of female representatives from Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. They competed in the Netherlands against the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands and France last month. She said the facility where they played had every country's flag displayed.

It was the first time in history that the Armed Services had a DoD women's rugby team at a NATO competition.

"I've never had a moment in my life where I soaked up the moment, lived in that moment, enjoyed it so much and felt so privileged," she said emotionally. "It's hard to put into words. It was the most amazing feeling ever. The moment I stepped on the field with USA across my chest, I could have cried."

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