Courtney Nokes

I've always had a boss that has believed in me, even when I necessarily didn't believe in myself. I've had a lot of support from my family, and just knowing what I want, and having that support, not only at home, but professionally as well. It's been crucial to have people who believe in you both in your personal life and in your career.

The best career advice I ever received came from Dr. Chief Gary Hill. He told me a long time ago to just put my head down and focus. It's not on what you know, it's what you can prove, and that has been steadfast. He has always said, you know, follow your heart, and just know what you want, and go for it. I'll never forget a particularly hard day in the academy when I was about to quit during our mile and a half run. He looked me straight in the eye and said, okay, you can quit, but you still have to run back. I said no, I quit, so just give me a ride, and he said no, you still have to run. All these years later, he says, see, Nokes, aren't you glad that I didn't let you quit that day? I made you run back? And I'm like, yeah, I am glad.

I would tell her to buckle down and to never give up, because this is a man's profession, and it just is. Always know that you're able, you're capable, and just never give up. There are a lot of challenges in this field as a woman, but the more that females are in this profession and the more that females are out there being seen, the better it gets. When I first started and became sergeant, then lieutenant, we would walk into meetings and people would address my captain instead of me. It took a long time before they realized, oh, yeah, like, she does know maybe what she's talking about. But you have to keep pushing forward.

Some of the biggest challenges are being heard. This is a huge challenge, and it may not seem like something to just normal people, but to actually get a uniform or body armor that's made for a female, that's a big thing. Because it has been a man's profession for so long, everything is basically made for a man's figure, and as a female, it's not always cut and dry like that. I remember when I just got my first bulletproof vest, or my body armor, and I was like, what is this? It doesn't fit. And they were like, oh, it's okay, just make it fit. And I'm like, but you guys don't have to. It's like, it just doesn't. Those are things that we're getting better at every day. We're figuring out ways to make it better. There are a lot of challenges, and there's a lot of challenges still to come, but the more that females are in this profession and the more that females are out there being seen, the better it gets. When I first started and became sergeant, then lieutenant, we would walk into meetings and they would address my captain instead of me, and it took a long time before they realized, oh, yeah, like, she does know maybe what she's talking about.