A Meek Voice, A Lions Roar, Changes Will Come
Thu Jun 14, 2007 at 04:18:19 PM PDT
In the year 1981, women were struggling to be accepted as equals in the military. Under an act of Congress, women were not allowed to be in positions that would send them into combat. Because of this, the standards for women in the service were different then it was for their male counterparts.
It was that year, that I was assigned to be a member of the squadron mobility team. If you're not aware of what it meant to be mobile, it meant being ready to provide support in a wartime or disaster scenario. I found this to be the first instance of many, where I had to raise my voice in protest. Follow me as I explain.
It wasn't that I had a problem being on a mobility team, quite the contrary. What had made me speak up was the requirement for a simple pair of combat boots. As I looked at the list of items, I found I had to have a pair of combat boots. Now understand, required uniform items were supposed to be issued, however, at the time, women weren't being issued boots in training, and they were having to purchase them from their paychecks. If you were male however, you were issued a pair with the rest of your uniform.
I could have accepted it and gone out and bought the boots. Would have been less of a hassle, less headaches. However, I didn't. I took the issue up the chain of command in my squadron, then the chain of command through supply; each time hitting wall after wall. They thought I was crazy, after all, it was a pair of boots; which by the way, was half of my paycheck. It was then I filed a formal complaint to the base Inspector General. Finally, I got my boots. It was then that a regulation came down that would issue boots to all females in the Air Force who were placed on mobility. It wasn't too many years after that, females entering the Air Force were issued boots in basic training.
I found out that this wasn't going to be the only time that I would have to raise my voice to affect change, either for myself or for others, while in the military. Differences between how women were evaluated on the weight control program, to sexual harrassment, to discrimination.
I've been out of the military for 18 years now, and still am finding instances where I need to find my "lions roar" to work to affect change. We've all been there. There have been issues and situations where we either speak up and affect change, or back down and remain status quo.
John Quincy Adams wrote:
Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.
Many may not remember Ryan White, but his meek voice and the roar of his mother, persevered to affect change for and attitudes for patients with AIDS.
It's that perseverance that brings about change. Our founding fathers roared for freedom from tyranny. Women through history didn't meekly protest the disadvantages for women, they raised their voices high and, through struggles, brought about change. Today, individuals continue, in the tradition of our forefathers and raise their voices in dissent to affect change.
Let's continue this tradition, let's roar with dissatisfaction, but let's also make sure that it falls on the right ears. It's up to each and every one of us, regardless of issue, to ensure that we're heard. To ensure those who can affect the changes, hear our voices and hold them to the fire. Get to know who your lawmakers are, local, state and federal. Get to know the groups who work for change. If they do not listen, talk louder. If Ryan White could bring about change, if Cindy Sheehan can get voices roaring, if Jon Soltz can bring people together, so can you and I. Let's raise our voices now and not just in the air but to those who will hear us. Let's not wait until November.
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