Just caught the reports related to the Pentagon it's going to be announced change in the Military roles for women who serve.
Many of the women who join and serve this country in the military, some making a career, have always taken on roles or been caught into, especially in combat theaters, that didn't define those of the Pentagon and the country rarely heard about till years later if at all.
These two conflicts of choice, and yes Afghanistan became just that when the country supported leaving the real mission and the promises made as to that country after 9/11, quickly raised the bar of what women were doing when sent into with their brothers who serve.
The previous administration, their DoD and congresses, even added story lines to some of the reports about women soldiers, what they were doing when getting caught up in the horrors of war and occupation, adding to the ever changing reasons for invasion especially Iraq, some they didn't need to as what happened were self explanatory even if they tried to, did the same for some of the males as well. The hyping was used to enhance that flag waving lapel pin wearing patriotism of support to justify what we as a country were doing and those some one percent of were caught up in.
Photographer documenting role of women in military
Feb. 6, 2012 - I recently met Julie Dowd, a Nashville-based photographer and daughter of a former soldier. Julie has begun work on a project called “She Served Proudly,” which celebrates the role of women in the military over the last 60 years. After reading a magazine article about a female Afghanistan veteran suffering from PTSD, Julie felt compelled to use her talents to help bring more attention to the women who have served and sacrificed for our country.
Nearly 15 percent of our active duty military personnel are women — mothers, sisters, wives and daughters. They serve alongside men every day at home and around the world and have made sacrifices, suffered injury and lost lives. Today’s military women are there because of the women who came before them.
“She Served Proudly” is the story of the women who traveled courageously into the military, once populated almost exclusively by men, and who then changed the landscape forever. Through interviews, photographs and video, Julie plans to introduce us to women veterans from the last 60 years – women whose reasons for enlisting are as varied as the women themselves, but whose stories each resonate with the same sense of pride.
As a photographer, Julie’s initial idea was to simply produce a photographic piece highlighted by audio interviews. However, as she began the interview process, she felt there was a need to film these remarkable women in order to help tell their stories more fully. read more>>>
She Served Proudly from Julie Dowd Photography on Vimeo.
Combat rules don't keep women off battlefield
8 February 2012 - "Every time they would request a specific gunner and it was always a female to man the .50 cal," said Halfaker.
That gunner was Spc. Victoria Rivers.
"It was just kind of euphoric, working side by side with some special forces team. It was pretty cool," said Rivers.
"She was just top notch," said Halfaker. "Great soldier and it was just funny to see this tiny little female up there manning the .50 cal and just fitting in with the special ops guys." read more>>>
A decade later the picture of the role of women serving finally becomes clearer for a country that lost interest in the wars, that they supported fully, long ago. But alas the country still won't demand their own sacrifice, responsibility, related to all the veterans of not only these present conflicts but those of the previous past decades!
Sources: Pentagon rules shift on women in combat
9 February 2012 - Pentagon rules are catching up a bit with reality after a decade when women in the U.S. military have served, fought and died on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.
On Thursday, the Pentagon is recommending to Congress that women be allowed to serve in more jobs closer to the front lines.
According to defense officials, the new rules are expected to continue the long-held prohibition that prevents women from serving as infantry, armor and special operations forces. But they will formally allow women to serve in other jobs at the battalion level, which until now had been considered too close to combat.
In reality, however, the necessities of war have already propelled women to the front lines — often as medics, military police or intelligence officers. So, while a woman couldn't be assigned as an infantryman in a battalion or in a company going out on patrol, she could fly the helicopter supporting the unit, or move in to provide medical aid if troops were injured. read more>>>
One thing about the military is it shows many excel in education, many different ways, without the needed being forced into any higher education industry we've created. Just as we as a country once did and a very few still can do, and they even continue their education in many directions of interests or in other professions during or after service. That's the type of country we once were, military or civilian, and had built an expanding economy in as well as a strong middle class.