I think everyone should know the history of female soldiers, and how far we've come. Did you know that it was only a few years before I was born that female troops were even considered part of the Regular Army? Before that, they were part of the Women's Army Corps (WAC). Now, we all know that the WAC existed, and that they had roles in various conflicts around the world throughout the time they were active, but I think female soldiers today, and even vets my age, think of it as something that came and went forever ago. Many of us took for granted that we had the opportunity to serve our country as soldiers, I know I did, when in reality, it is something that all of us who have raised our right hand and sworn our Oath of Enlistment, with no thought to our gender, should be quite grateful for indeed.
I know that the more I learn about how recently the walls have begun to come down for female soldiers, the more grateful I am for the opportunity I had to serve in exactly the capacity I wanted. What a great thing it was, indeed, to feel the call to serve (you vets ALL know what I mean), and be able to answer it my way. Were I only six years older than I am, I may not have been able to do that. It was that recent that restrictions stood between female soldiers, and many of the jobs within the Army. Now, we can do almost anything, and maybe in another decade or so, there will be no walls left standing. Maybe we will be able to be recognized officially for the tasks we've been performing behind the scenes and off the radar screen for far longer than any of us could ever remember.
Molly Pitcher was the first female soldier (the military wives like to claim her, but forget that for now) and became that way by taking over her fallen husband's cannon, and fighting as hard as any of the guys to her left and right. As far as I'm concerned, that makes her a soldier, and an artillery soldier at that. No female since Molly Pitcher has served in a Combat Arms job (Infantry, Artillery, Armor, and Combat Engineers), at least on record, but maybe that will change within my lifetime. I know I'd love to see the day that real live modern day Molly Pitchers man the Artillery guns once again, in every rank from Private to Colonel! With the rate that my Army's been making progress, that day may come sooner rather than later.
The first female soldiers to serve AS SOLDIERS (not WAC's) in a war were our Gulf War vets. There were 24,000 female soldiers in that war, and two of them were VERY influential to me. One was my one and only female Drill Sergeant, whose job it was to drive convoys through every condition and many ambushes, and was only a Private, fresh out of training, when she earned her combat patch. The other was my Sergeant Major who was a Staff Sergeant when she set foot on Kuwaiti soil, and was responsible for a platoon of carpenters. These women were some of the first female soldiers ever to wear a combat patch on their uniforms, and I am so proud to have had the opportunity to serve with them. To this day, I reflect on the lessons they taught me. Command Sergeant Major B and Drill Sergeant C are pioneers. They, and their peers, paved the way for the many female soldiers who serve in combat today.
It is important to look at our history, but it is also important to think of where we want to be in the future. We have such a great thing started, and we mist progress. Beyond seeing more jobs opened to women who can meet the requirements, I hope the most of all to see a day within my lifetime, when female soldiers will be just as respected as their male counterparts. It is my biggest dream to know a day when female soldiers are not looked at as having suspect reasons for enlisting, and are looked at as exactly what they are, SOLDIERS, rather than any of the negative stereotypes that are cast upon us the minute we report to our units, and weigh on us heavier than any ruck sack we have ever carried. Will there ever be a day when a girl can say, "I want to be a soldier when I grow up!" and people won't tell her that's for boys? Will there be a day when a female PFC can call her squad leader to ask a legitimate question, and not have to worry about getting yelled at by his wife because she doesn't think women ought to serve with her husband? Will female soldiers ever be promoted at the rate of their brothers? Well, I hope the answer to all these questions is YES, AND SOON!!
While we, as a nation, still have a long way to go in the way of acceptance and treatment of female soldiers and veterans, we have come far, and I can safely say that I am so proud to be a FEMALE Army veteran!!! We have come so far, and I am so happy to have been able to be a part of it, even if it was a very small part. Serving my country in uniform, for all its hardships, was by far the best decision I ever made.
Strong eyes + Unbeatable math skills + Fast walking + Dark sense of humor = US Army Land Surveyor
Male or female, US Army surveyors are the best in the world!
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