Photo By Senior Airman Keira Rossman | Christina Arsate, 47th Force Support Squadron military personnel flight chief, speaks...... read more read more
Team XL observed Women’s Equality Day with a luncheon and panel discussion, focusing on the ongoing efforts toward gender equality in the Air Force, at Club XL, Aug. 29, 2024.
The event featured speakers who shared their experiences and insights on the challenges and achievements of women in the workplace, particularly within the military.
“Women’s Equality Day gives us an opportunity to reflect on the continuing struggle for equality in the workplace and the role of women in our public life,” said Staff Sgt. Miranda Gomez, 47th Force Support Squadron (FSS) force support personnel development non-commissioned officer in charge of student assignments and organizer of the event. “With this event, we aimed to inspire and motivate those in attendance to be courageous for women’s equality, to speak your truth and to not give up.”
One panelist, Lt. Col. Elizabeth Music, 47th Student Squadron commander, shared her experiences as a C-130 Hercules pilot serving in Germany with her military spouse and two children.
“Finding help as a mil-to-mil couple while on the road was the most difficult part for us. We were in a foreign country, the CDC (Childcare Development Center) was limited to certain hours, and there was very little help," said Music.
She shared that they sought support from her mother, who was retired and willing to move in with them, but because of their overseas assignment, couldn't stay permanently. Her pension prevented her from being declared a household member or dependent, limiting her visits to just 90 days at a time.
“So, for only 90 days at a time, we could go and serve our country the best we could and be on the road and do our C-130 mission,” Music explained. “For the other three months in between, our unit actually was a bit deprived of the ability to send us on the road, and so that was a struggle for our unit.”
“I was excited to see that one of the things at Torch Athena that we talked about was childcare,” Music continued. “Because a lot of families have very unique situations with childcare, their kids won't go to daycare, or the daycare time doesn't work because it's shift workers and things like that. Daycare and the ability to take care of our family is a huge readiness issue that needs to be considered. People will leave if they feel like they can’t take care of their families.”
Another panelist, Christina Arsate, 47th FSS military personnel flight chief, shared her experience of deploying as an active-duty Airman while also balancing her roles as a mother and spouse. She highlighted the challenges her civilian husband faced at the time, as he didn't have the same access to the support and connections provided by military services.
“During my deployment, and to preface my unit was filled with awesome people, but it was rare for them to check on him or see if he needed help,” said Arsate. “Then on the civilian side, his work didn't support that I was deployed. They told him straight out, if you're not going to be available you can't work here.”
Despite these challenges, the experience highlighted the need for continued efforts to ensure that military families receive the assistance they need during deployments.
The luncheon marked the annual observance of Women’s Equality Day, a day that commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment and recognizes the ongoing efforts for gender equality. The event also touched on recent policy updates aimed at supporting women, Torch Athena, supportive services available to military members and more.
“As we celebrate Women’s Equality Day, it’s important to recognize that the struggle for gender equality is a global movement, shaped by diverse cultural contexts and histories,” said Senior Master Sgt. Mariya Cavazos, 47th Comptroller Squadron and Wing Staff Agency senior enlisted advisor and narrator for the event. “While the day commemorates the adoption of the 19th Amendment, it also serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for women’s rights around the world.”
| Date Taken: | 09.03.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.27.2024 09:37 |
| Story ID: | 480007 |
| Location: | LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 6 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Voices of experience from Women’s Equality Day, by SrA Keira Rossman, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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