| Women in the Military: Why She Serves By: Megan Gearheart "How am I supposed to fit in with these guys when you've got me set up as an outsider? You've given me a different set of rules. Why didn't you just issue me a pink petticoat to wear around the base?" - Buena Vista Pictures' GI Jane Women volunteer to place themselves in harm's way everyday, and there's not a pink petticoat among them. With different ideas and different backgrounds, women come to wear a uniform and the military embraces them. For all their differences, they have the military in common--a common purpose, a common identity, and a common duty. This is their story and in it, the stories of service women across the country. This is why they serve. According to the United States Department of Defense, there are over 275,000 women serving in the military both on active duty and in the National Guard. That's more than the population of Arlington, Virginia. Two hundred, seventy-five thousand wives, sisters, moms, and daughters protect the country and preserve freedom. But this is nothing new--women have been involved in combat since the birth of the nation. In Women Patriots of the American Revolution, Charles Claghorn profiles the first woman to receive pension from the U.S. government as a disabled soldier. During a battle on November 16, 1776 at Fort Washington, New York, Margaret Corbin entered the fray to assist her husband with a cannon. Her husband was killed, but Margaret continued to load and fire until she herself was wounded. In 1779 the Continental Congress grated her a pension and "allowances of a solider in service" for her distinguished bravery. Two hundred and thirty-three years later, women continue to defend this country and continue to crack the glass ceiling of the ultimate boys club. The military offers 250,000 varieties of assignments to women--jobs that often involve service alongside their male counterparts. However, those assignments only represent 80% of all military jobs. The Pentagon officially restricts women from serving in "combat occupations," a distinction complicated in the last eight years by the absence of a "front line" in Iraq and Afghanistan. Air Force SSgt Rubi Gonzalas agrees, "There really aren't any front lines. Everywhere you go when you're deployed is a dangerous zone." Indeed, danger is inescapable. Staff Sargent Gonzalas has served the last eight years in the United States Air Force after enlisting one month before September 11th. "Despite their initial acceptance of my enlistment, after 9/11 my family tried to get me to back out. They were all really scared." Her tour of duty brought her to Baghdad Iraq in 2006, where the threat her family feared was a reality. She explains that despite being barred from the infantry, women today drive Humvees, participate as military escorts, serve as military police, and pilot helicopters and planes all in the face of attack at any moment just the same as men. Senior Airman Ashley Ballard, an enlisted Air Force member since 2007 believes that should positions in the infantry open to women, they would make essential contributions, "Women bring a new angle to the infantry. We can match men on passion for our country any day of the week. There is always the issues of relationships, housing quarters, bathing quarters, etc. But those are worth it when you consider what you are gaining by letting women in the military. A soldier is a soldier, no matter race, religion, or sex. If you have a passion for your country is all that matters." Captain Lory Manning, in an interview with PBS's News Hour during July 2007, reported on her study of women in the military. She commented on the preconceived notions surrounding female strength in armed service, "Before this, people only guessed, and they guessed that the women would fall to pieces," and adds that the opposite has happened, "The women have held their own. They've done brilliantly well. So what we have learned is, through real experiences, that women can hack it in the military." Senior Airman Ballard deployed to Jalalabad Air Force Base in Iraq for six months in 2007. Daily she faced the limits of her strength and reserve. When asked about her reservations regarding service as a woman she replied, " I didn't have any reservations. I knew there would be hurdles, but I knew I could handle anything that was thrown my way. The military had been a "men's club" for a long time. But women were making their mark and I wanted to be a part of that so I was willing to do what it took." Women have come a long way in the last two hundred years and even though 119 have been women have been killed in the theaters of Iraq and Afghanistan, they continue to enlist and serve. Senior. Airman Ballard served her country and served the next generations of women to enter the military, "I didn't see my life going in any positive direction. I wanted to do something that served a greater purpose but I didn't know what so I figured until I knew what that was I would enlist." There her purpose became clear, "I was proud of women being in the military before enlisting. I thought they were paving a new path for the women to come, and I am still proud. I am proud I could be a part of that." |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |