Laura Paloma Armitage
Don’t ask me to quit. There is absolutely no way in hell I would.
Personal Information
Born: January 8, 1960
Place: San Francisco, CA
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 130 lbs
Ethnicity: Caucasian/ Hispanic
Siblings: none
Children: Daniel Jonathan Marshall, deceased (March 10, 1979- March 20, 1983)
Parents:
- Jonathan Armitage, deceased (September 28, 1933- November 30, 1968 in the line of duty)
- Gabriela Alejandra Jimenez de la Vega (b. July 3rd, 1938), remarried to Jason Cunningham
Education
- Lycée Rochambeau, Washington D. C. (1970-1974)
- Milton Academy, Milton, Massachusetts (graduated with honors, 1976)
- Stanford University, Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering (graduated with honors, Fall 1980)
- Yale School of Engineering, Masters Degree (graduated Fall 1982)
- Officer Candidate School, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida, Graduate of the Navy and USMC Intelligence Program (commissioned an ensign November 1982)
Profession
- Naval Officer, lieutenant
- Completed SEAL Training (BUD/S Class 128 honorwoman), SEAL unit integration not disclosed 'due to candidate's gender'
Skills
- Special naval warfare
- Underwater demolition expert
- Competition level swimming abilities
- Trained horse rider (Massachusetts, California)
- Japanese Martial Arts (since 1966):
- Karate (black belt, nanadan or seventh degree),
- Aikido (black belt, sixth dan)
- Jujitsu (black belt, eighth dan)
- Languages:
- English/Spanish (bilingual)
- French/German (fluent)
- Russian/ Arabic (proficient)
Awards and Distinctions
- Academic:
- Valedictorian candidate Finalist, Milton Academy (1976)
- Outstanding Student Athlete, Stanford (1978)
- Terman Engineering Scholastic Award, Stanford School of Engineering (1980)
- Athletic, Stanford Cardinals Swimming Team:
- National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Swimming Team Championship winner (1977)
- Individual NCAA Championship Women’s Swimming winner (1978)
- Military:
- Navy Cross (1985)
- Bronze Star (1986)
- Navy Presidential Unit (1986)
- Navy Distinguished Service Medal (1989)
Miscellaneous Facts
- Has an aversion for rodents
- Doesn't have one for roses, especially purple ones
- Tends to show signs of obsessive compulsiveness
- Weapon of predilection: Colt. 45 Handgun (M1911A) because “with a good eye and a steady hand, it becomes an extension of her arm that can inflict as much damage as a machine gun.”
- Killed for the first time at age 23
- Considered having a hysterectomy to keep her “period-less” while with the SEALs. Never went through with it.
Quotes
I’ve learned to let my instinct and personal evaluation of a situation on the field prevail over the point of view of individuals doing nothing more but giving orders from behind a desk, safe from bullets and blood splashes. I do so even though the training I received does not explicitly allow me to.
-On Obeying Orders
Elite soldiers are expected to take risks, kill and be killed if necessary. For me not to be a man doesn’t matter, for bullets happen to have the same effects on all regardless of gender. Considered that way, what many see as a handicap on my part can objectively no longer be seen as such.
-On Taking Risks
Rather not talk about him.
-On her son
Audentes Fortuna juvat, Luck Favors only the Bold.
-On Taking Risks
My rock.
-On Jim Marshall
One of the few men I'd trust with my life.
-On T.J. Wilkins
Your point?
- On being reminded a woman may not make it in a SEAL squad
Was both weird and exhilarating. Beirut, a pile of ruins at the time. They asked us to acquire three civilians...
-On her first Special Ops assignment:
I'm not interested.
-On being asked to write a book on her life