The lunges, pushups and even the four-mile run couldn’t get the better of Parish Episcopal School senior Gabriela “Gabby” Altuna as she participated in morning physical training with Soldiers from the U.S. Army Operational Test Command at the end of her three-day visit to Fort Hood, May 23.

“I really enjoyed the PT,” Altuna said. “I did a lot better than I thought I was going to do. I’ve run four miles before in cross-country competition, but there’s a lot of difference between Dallas and Fort Hood.

“Dallas is flat, and Fort Hood is not,” she said. “I powered through, though, and kept up with my battle buddy (Capt. Vicki Stauffer, commander of OTC’s Headquarters and Headquarters Command).”

Dr. Sam Middlebrooks, chief, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Human Research and Engineering Directorate Fort Hood field office at OTC, hosted the Dallas teenager, who plans to attend St. Catherine’s University in St. Paul, Minn., as part of her senior class project. According to Middlebrooks, the school contacted him on behalf of Altuna because of her strong interest in a military career.

“It was a very unusual request,” he said. “We normally don’t set up such a visit for a single person, especially of high school age, but the school told me this student would ‘blow my socks off.’”

Thanks to assistance from the public affairs officers of OTC, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center and III Corps and Fort Hood, Middlebrooks said, he was able to coordinate a thorough and informational orientation of Fort Hood.

Altuna first met with Maj. (Dr.) Patrick Depenbrock, a CRDAMC sports medicine doctor, who took her on medical rounds and included her in a residency lecture with Soldiers interested in becoming doctors.

“Dr. Depenbrock opened my eyes to the multitude of possibilities the Army has to offer in the medical field,” Altuna said. “I learned I could go overseas and be embedded into a unit as well as pursue a career in sports medicine.”

Her next visit was with Capt. Megan Burke, chief of operations, 21st Cavalry (Air Combat). Burke showed Altuna helicopters ranging from the Black Hawk, to a Huey, to Apache attack helicopters.

On day two, Altuna toured the Warrior Skills Training facility where she engaged in a simulated convoy training exercise from a mock-up humvee while manning a .50-caliber machine gun. After that, she carried a laser firing pistol into an urban dwelling where she engaged in a house clearing training exercise simulating the rescue of American hostages.

“I had a blast,” Altuna said of her simulator experiences.

She ended day two with a visit to the 1st Cavalry Division and 3rd Cavalry Regiment museums.

After PT on her final day, Altuna talked with Stauffer about her Army experiences.

“I wanted to know why she became a Soldier,” Altuna said. “I could tell she was very passionate about her job, as were Capt. Burke and Maj. Depenbrock.

“One way or another, I want to follow in their footsteps and become an individual with a love for what I do,” she said. “The sacrifices aren’t easy, but the reward is great.” The Soldiers were impressed with Altuna as well.

“Gabby is a very impressive young woman with a great potential for a great career in whatever field she chooses,” Middlebrooks said. “The future U. S. Army will be in good hands if individuals such as Gabby choose to become leaders in it. I hope she does.”

Altuna, who will be an ROTC cadet and play NCAA Division III basketball at St. Catherine’s this fall, said she was completely humbled by her experience at Fort Hood.

“I got great perspectives and experience from everyone,” she said, “and I want to thank everyone who had anything to do with my visit. I look forward to ROTC in the fall, and am hopeful someday to run into these incredible individuals again.”