Not every invitation changes the way you see your work. This one did.

In March, The Valkyrie Project sponsored me to attend their Military Women’s Symposium at Fort Bragg. They had reviewed my background, believed my research perspective aligned with their mission, and wanted me to see firsthand what they are building for women in uniform. As someone who competed on a tactical college shooting team, has trained extensively in tactical disciplines, and has spearheaded research into tactical performance and training standards, I walked in as an observer and left with a clearer understanding of what it means to train, serve, and lead when the systems around you have not kept pace with the people inside them.

The Valkyrie Project was founded in 2018 by Major Meg Tucker, a U.S. Army veteran, former Kiowa Warrior pilot, and Psychological Operations officer in Special Operations Forces. Tucker identified a critical gap in how women were being prepared and supported in high performance military roles following the opening of combat positions and built an organization around fixing it.

The organization launched as an LLC providing cycle-based fitness programming for women pursuing military jobs previously closed to them. In April 2023 it transitioned to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, expanding its reach into research, education, and advocacy. Tucker concluded her tenure as president in September 2025 and the organization continues on the foundation she built.

The name is intentional. In Norse mythology, the Valkyries were Odin’s female demigods with the power to influence the outcome of battles. To The Valkyrie Project, that represents the capacity of the woman warrior to determine victory or defeat on the battlefield and in life.

The Valkyrie Project operates across four areas: human performance training, education, research, and advocacy. Their training offers five programming tracks built around female physiology, focused on developing sustainable strength and endurance rather than adapting a male performance model. One track addresses postpartum recovery, providing a structured path for servicewomen returning to duty after childbirth.

Their research covers load bearing endurance, warrior centric equipment design, and the physiological variables affecting how women perform in operational environments. Equipment designed for a male body and issued to women without modification affects performance, increases injury risk, and creates disadvantages unrelated to capability. The Valkyrie Project is applying data where assumptions have historically been used instead. Their advocacy and education, targets policy gaps and systemic barriers affecting career advancement for female service members. The Military Women’s Symposium is where all of it comes together each year.

Captain Barbara Bell was among the featured speakers and her presentation was one of the most memorable moments of the day. A career officer, Bell spoke directly about the obstacles she encountered throughout her service, the lessons she carried out of them, and the leadership principles she built in response. She did not frame her challenges as gifts or package her career into a highlight reel. She spoke plainly about what the difficulties were, how she handled them, and the lessons she took from them.

What stood out most was her resilience. Rather than allowing those challenges to define her, but as a foundation to grow from and lead others through. Her point was clear, leadership is not built through comfort. It is built through perseverance, service, and the willingness to keep moving forward when the path is hard. Her words carried weight throughout that room because they reflected the experiences of nearly every woman sitting in those chairs.

The broader conversations throughout the day returned to the same questions. Where are the current policy gaps? What does research show about female performance in tactical environments? How to build mentorship pipelines that reach women early enough to matter? How do you retain servicewomen who are leaving not because they lack capability but because the structure around them was not built to support them? The Valkyrie Project is not working to lower standards. They are working to make sure standards, programs, equipment, and support systems are built on accurate science rather than outdated assumptions. 

To learn more or support their mission, visit thevalkyrieproject.org. I am grateful for the invitation and sponsorship and proud to bring attention to their organization.

About Eden,

Eden Daniel earned her B.S in Exercise and Sports Science from Bryan College and is a Graduate Student in the MSAT program at MTSU where she also serves as a graduate research assistant. She is the first student in Bryan College history to compete in multiple research projects and to be published during her undergraduate degree.  She was the founding member and President of Phi Epsilon Kappa Iota Eta Chapter exercise honor society for the past 3 years. She was recently invited to NYC to cover NYC Fitness Week and will be returning this month to compete in Turf Wars through invitation by Turf Wars host, Tone House NYC. Eden will also begin her latest research project for women in tactical training in July running for 16 weeks. Eden is a member of the NSCA, competes in tactical shooting and is a sponsored fitness athlete for Spinto Fitness where she participates in races, Hyrox and Crossfit workouts. She is active in numerous charities and currently resides in Murfreesboro with her Boston Terrier, Lovey.