Courtesy Photo | Brig. Gen. Camille Nichols Meets with female officers from the 130th Engineer Brigade....... read more read more
By Pvt. Jennifer L. Lowes
CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq — Mentorship is an important tool in furthering one's career in any field, civilian or military.
Recently Brig. Gen. Camille Nichols, the commanding general of Joint Contract Command of Iraq and Afghanistan, met with five female officers from the 130th Engineer Brigade and shared her insights based on her experiences.
"It was an engineer to engineer, woman to woman, senior to junior officer mentoring session," said Nichols.
Nichols focused her discussion on overcoming struggles that females encounter in the Army, such as balancing Family and career, and striving to further their career as a Soldier.
Nichols joined the Army in 1975 and worked her way up the ranks. She said she has no regrets about not having a family and focusing on her career.
"You might not be able to have it all but you can go as far as you want in the Army," said Nichols.
"It was interesting to talk to General Nichols about Family, she didn't sugar coat it, which most people in the Army will do," said 1st Lt. Katielyn Reynolds an officer for the 130th Engineer Brigade.
Reynolds, whose husband was in the Marine Corps, is still in the process of balancing Family and her career.
"I want to be successful in the Army, but I don't want to sacrifice my marriage either," said 1st Lt. Reynolds.
The best advice 1st Lt. Reynolds said she took away from the meeting was to just be true to yourself and try not to be a people pleaser.
"Their energy encouraged me and confirmed my belief that women have a role in this Army," she added.
"Being a woman in the military means people watch you more closely than men," said Brig. Gen. Nichols. "You have to stay positive and hold no grudges."
"It's our job to overcome the negative perceptions of women in the Army," said Nichols. "Our Army today is as powerful and capable as it is because of the power of the women in it. We all have our place and we all have the power to defend this Army that we love."
| Date Taken: | 02.09.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 02.10.2010 11:56 |
| Story ID: | 45189 |
| Location: | CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, IQ |
| Web Views: | 316 |
| Downloads: | 238 |
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