Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Brent Hunt | Chief Warrant Officer 2 Nicole Shuman, Apache attack helicopter pilot, Headquarters...... read more read more
By Sgt. 1st Class Brent Hunt
Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – For more than 230 years, American Soldiers have answered the nation's call to serve and defend the nation.
Throughout the U.S. Army's storied history, men have traditionally served as the force on the frontlines while women supported their endeavors behind the scenes.
In 1941, with the U.S. facing a two-front war, a ground-breaking transition occurred that would forever change women's role on the battlefield.
The Women's Army Corps, disbanded 30 years ago, opened doors for many serving on today's battlefield.
"The Women's Army Corps forged for me the ability to be a pilot in a war zone," said Capt. Erin Braswell, aero medical pilot, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, who hails from Houston. "I believe we will continue to have women pave the way.
"Obviously though, there are still jobs we as women can't do," she said, sitting on the Camp Taji flight line next to the air ambulance helicopter she spent all night flying around the Baghdad area. "Being a female in the military, you have to show you are strong and you have to be a leader."
Women have made great strides in the military, throughout history, while serving the nation. During World War II, more than 150,000 women served in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. The WAAC was the precursor organization for the WAC. Members of the WAAC were the first women, other than nurses, to serve in the ranks of the Army.
Established in 1941 after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Army expressed a need for women to perform duties to "free a man for combat" while serving in non-combatant military roles. The WAAC was established to work with the Army for supporting a country engaged in the war effort.
During the WAACs existence, women performed duties such as aerial photograph analysts, control tower operators, maintenance specialists and radio operators.
WAACs members served during World War II, in the Middle East, Burma, India, the Southwest Pacific, China, Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa, but were never considered in the Army – they worked with the Army. Some women were even instrumental in the planning of D-Day.
After World War II had ended, the U.S. Army asked Congress for the authority to establish a WAC as a permanent part of the U.S. Army. When the bill passed, the WAC became a separate corps allowing women officers the opportunity to obtain the rank of colonel and enlisted Soldiers to ability to earn the ranks of corporal through master sergeant, which was not previously available to women.
As part of the WAC, women continued to serve in the corps until the Army abolished the WACs existence in 1978. After the WAC was abolished, women were fully assimilated into all the branches of the Army.
Today, women serve in many roles in the military to include pilots, doctors, lawyers and commanders.
"It was instilled to me at a young age that serving was something I had to do," said Capt. Jennifer Miles, commander of Headquarters Support Company, 2nd Bn., 4th Avn. Regt. "What I love about the Army is the camaraderie. Taking command of a company is one of the things I am most proud of during my military career.
"I like having Soldiers thank me for something I did, but all I did was empower them to accomplish a goal," said Miles, who is a self-proclaimed Army brat as her father is a retired sergeant first class from the Army. "It's a good feeling when you accomplish something.
"What the WAC did for us was get our foot in the door," she added. "It is not easy spending 365 days away from the United States, but I would much rather be doing this than working in a cubicle in an office somewhere. For me, commanding a company in a warzone wouldn't have been possible if it wasn't for the women who were part of the WAC."
Miles is just one example of how the role of women in the military has changed. Before the WAC was disbanded, women were not allowed to command men. Today, thousands of men are commanded by women.
Although women can command, they are still not allowed to be in such fields as the Infantry or Artillery Corps. With some seeing this as a stumbling block, many women do not because they are actively engaged in combat operations.
"I had an enemy troop engagement during the CABs deployment to Iraq in 2006, where the enemy was right out in the open, which was a dream come true," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Nicole Shuman, Apache attack helicopter pilot from Pittsburgh. "This is a great job. Not a lot of women get to fly and especially in a combat role. It feels good supporting the troops on the ground.
"For anyone thinking about joining the Army, this is the greatest job ever," said Shuman, who credits her father, a former Marine, for her initial interest and now career as a combat pilot. "I get to fly for free. I don't have to pay for gas, and I get to blow stuff up."
As many women serving today are seeing more and more combat, some Soldiers have made it their goal to be on the battlefield.
"It has always been my goal to be a flight medic," said Staff Sgt. Christina Martinez, Co. C, 2nd Bn. 4th Avn. Regt., also known in the company as the "mission-magnet. "One of the highlights of my career was when I was part of the crew who rescued four Iraqi policemen on top of a burning building just outside Sadr City. It was dangerous because we were hovering above a burning building while pulling in the policemen. We saved their lives, and I'm really proud of that."
When a medical evacuation crew from Co. C pulled Iraqi policemen from a burning building rooftop July 18, Martinez was the flight medic on board and administered first aid to them as they were transported to a combat support hospital.
For her heroic actions, Martinez was awarded the Air Medal with Valor for saving their lives.
"I wouldn't have been able to rescue those policemen if it wasn't for the WAC," said Martinez. "Sometimes it is tougher for me as a woman because I feel I have to work twice as hard. The WAC really opened doors for this next generation. I'm sure we are opening doors now for the next generation of women who will serve."
| Date Taken: | 10.31.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 10.31.2008 04:10 |
| Story ID: | 25759 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 520 |
| Downloads: | 295 |
This work, Women on the battlefield: Combat Aviation Brigade Soldiers continue tradition, by SFC Brent Hunt, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
