GRANITE FALLS - A local mother's dream to join the Navy comes with a heavy price: She had to give up custody of her 13-year-old daughter.

It's the toughest decision 32-year-old Rebecca Tate has ever had to make, but she believes it's the right choice.

"To be able to serve in the military and defend my country and do what I know is good and right makes me proud," she said.

As excited as Rebecca is to join, she's doing it with a heavy heart. Single parents cannot enlist in the Navy, so she had to give up custody of her 13-year-old daughter Anya to sign up.

"It's a little strange, it's pretty sad - it's tough, but it's something that I have to do," Tate said.

Rebecca's mom Vivian Johnson now has custody of Anya. Anya's now living in Colville in Eastern Washington with Vivian's longtime boyfriend, who Rebecca refers to as her 'step-dad.'

Rebecca calls the decision to give up her daughter "excruciating," but believes she's doing the right thing.

"One of the biggest reasons is: How can I teach my child to live up to her dreams if I don't?"

Rebecca's mom is proud of her daughter and says the family rallied around her and Anya to help both of them through this difficult time.

"There was no second thought at all about it," Vivian Johnson said. "It was, 'yeah, OK that's what we need to do so how do we do it."

Rebecca leaves for basic training in Illinois on Tuesday. At 32, she'll be one of the oldest recruits at basic training.

A naval career has been her dream for years, and she hopes by reaching out to make that dream come true, she's setting the right example for the daughter she has to leave behind.