Ina was one of six children from Belmont, Michigan.  She joined the military after high school, and went into the Women's Army Corps (WAC) in 1954.  She was assigned to become a trainer of new WAC recruits in February of 1955. The following year she moved to Japan to be the senior action assignment clerk with the adjutant general section at Camp Zama. While serving in the army she remained active in sports, participating in volleyball, basketball, and softball.  She won the Far East title in softball in 1957 and a Far East basketball championship in 1958 as a member of the Camp Zama Ramblettes.