FEMCOM at Sea…
Rear Admiral Nora Tyson became the first woman to take command of a carrier strike group this month. She’ll be responsible for as many as 12 ships and 9000 sailors. Tyson’s flagship will be the carrier USS George H.W. Bush. When asked about her groundbreaking role by the www.CommercialAppeal.com (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/aug/01/admiral-tyson-aboard/) She answered, “Someone’s got to be first.” Yes they do Admiral. Congratulations Ma'am.
DACOWITS
Despite it’s name being the worst acronym in DoD, the Defense Department Advisory Committee on Women in the Service (shouldn’t that be DDACOWITS?), this committee is responsible for addressing issues that impact every woman wearing a uniform. Check out the website and learn more about what recommendations are coming up: http://dacowits.defense.gov/index.html
Afghan FEMCOM
Hats off to these 29 women who are seriously trailblazing by becoming the first females in the Afghan National Army, (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/7926376/Force-for-change-the-women-of-the-new-Afghan-army.html); but major boos and hisses to Col Abdul Rahim, the commander of the ANA's Officer Training Brigade in Kabul, who says, 'We need women to relieve men of certain administrative jobs, and we eventually hope that they will be able to become nurses and drivers. Also, it is important to show the advancement of Afghanistan to the rest of the world.' Yeah, Mr. Rahim, way to set the bar high for women’s rights.
The Tangled Webs…
Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean will go to trial for allegedly killing Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach (http://www.military.com/news/article/trial-to-begin-in-pregnant-marine-death.html?ESRC=sm_todayinmil.nl). She said he raped her and was the father of her unborn child. He says the child was not his, but in the end her remains were found in a fire pit behind his house and he was on the run in western Mexcio.
A sad, sad tale. Some old schoolers will blame this on women having been allowed in the military. Can’t you just see them opining about how a good Marine’s career was ruined because some chick got knocked up?
Some women will come down hard on Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach. She shouldn’t have been sleeping with a married man, she should have reported the rape, she was a liar (post mortem DNA tests showed the child was not Laurean’s).
And somewhere in the middle lie the rest of us. Shaking our heads at the tragedy, wishing these were not the stories the public sees and uses to form their opinions about those of us in the military.
Ladies: please, please, please remind yourself that you are valuable, worthy and any man you date should be worthy of you. Never settle for someone else’s husband, or someone who may hurt you. There is a difference between someone giving you affection (which you deserve) and attention (which has nothing to do with affection).
“You look fine Maggie, just fine.”
In a sad note, actress Patricia Neal died this week after battling cancer. Neal is the inspiration for my pen name, with her gutsy yet feminine portrayal of Nurse LT Maggie Haynes in the movie “In Harm’s Way.” She made her character more than a nurse, and every bit a military woman. Patricia you were FEMCOM all the way and we will miss you.