Photo By Master Sgt. Reeba Critser | Cpl. Sahar Al-Salami, with the Yemen Counter-Terrorism Unit, talks to Master Sgt. Mona...... read more read more
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By Staff Sgt. Reeba Critser
Third Army/U.S. Army Central Public Affairs Office
FORT JACKSON, S.C. – It was chance that brought 11 Yemeni women to America to learn about how women are integrated into tactical environments. It was also chance they arrived this month when America celebrates its heritage of women – a perfect chance to share the struggles of pioneer women in this country.
For the past six years, women have worked in Yemen police departments serving as prison guards, medics, administrative assistants and policewomen. However, their tactical duties such as the patrolling and other police work are limited to situations only involving civilian women. Because Yemen is a Muslim country, the men are forbidden to touch women, unless they are family. The policewomen and female guards are called in to pat down the women and take custody of them.
The visiting 11 women were hand-selected by the chief of staff for Yemen's Central Security Forces to become the first women to serve in their Counter-Terrorism Unit. The challenges are these women will be handling critical procedures and they will be working side-by-side with men for the first time in their country's history. To resolve the first issue, three British army female soldiers trained the CTU women on the basics of the unit operations. For the second concern, Third Army/U.S. Army Central offered to take the women on an expedition to Atlanta and Fort Jackson, S.C.
"They are here to learn about how professional women work – what it is like to work side by side with men, know how difficult it was at first, hear from other women of the challenges they will face and not be so scared," said Capt. Hani Hamden, training officer for the CTU, and the Yemeni women's escort and translator.
The challenges he spoke of is two fold – the mission and the society.
Hamden said the CTU women are in their early 20s, all single and are at entry-level positions serving as the administrative assistants, medics and intelligence analysts. Because of the country's traditions and Islamic rules, it's hard for the women to progress rapidly in their job. Their struggles are similar to what American women underwent.
In 1920, the 19th amendment to America's constitution granted women the right to vote. And it wasn't until 1972 that the Equal Rights Amendment was passed by Congress stating constitutional rights will not be denied on account of the person's gender. For the Yemeni women, Hamden said with time the current laws will change because of the types of missions the women perform and to meet the needs of the job.
The Mission
The Yemeni delegation first visited the Atlanta Police Department on March 16.
Maj. Pearlene Williams, chief of staff for the Atlanta PD, talked to the CTU women on the progression of women in the department.
According to Williams, in 1943 Capt. Dora Davis became the first female officer in the Atlanta PD, pioneering the path for those to follow her. In 1994, Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell appointed Beverly J. Harvard the first female chief of the Atlanta PD. Williams pointed out to the Yemeni women that when some of Atlanta's female police officers joined the force, they received criticism from the men. The men doubted if the women could meet the physical demands of the job. But in the end, the women stood out and some are now heads of various sections with the Atlanta PD.
Other policewomen in the force shared words of wisdom with the Yemeni women such as "don't give up," "stay strong," "be positive" and "don't cry in front of the men."
"You are small in stature, but your strength comes from within," said Lt. Debra Williams, assistant Zone 6 commander with the Atlanta PD, to the women. "You must reach within yourself and pull it out."
The next stop was a visit to Third Army/U.S. Army Central at Fort McPherson, Ga., on March 19 to learn how women advanced their careers in the U.S. Army.
Since 1775, women served as nurses, cooks and embroiderers for the U.S. Army. Master Sgt. Nicole Evans said some women donned men's clothing to fight in America's stead. Evans, an enlisted strength manager for Third Army, U.S. Army Central, gave the CTU women statistics to assist her brief. Currently women serve in 91 percent of Army jobs and make up 14 percent of the active Army. She said in October 2006, more than 25,000 women were serving in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
"I think these [Yemeni women] are courageous," said Evans. "Pioneers are the ones to suffer the initial bumps and bruises, so the road will be somewhat smoother for those who follow behind them."
"In their society, I know it's going to be very challenging," said Evans. "My prayer for these pioneers is that they will always strive to do their best, continue to learn and most importantly, they must never give up."
The next day, the women visited with Gina Young, head of domestic terrorism issues at the Georgia Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Atlanta.
According to Young, the FBI was created a century ago, but it wasn't until the early '70s they accepted women as agents.
"Thirty-five years ago there was sexism," she said. "Not anymore. Women are in the higher levels of the headquarters, they're heads of domestic and overseas offices, in hostage negotiation teams, scuba rescue and SWAT [Special Weapons and Tactics]."
With knowledge of the American woman's plight to attain equality in the work place, the CTU women traveled to Fort Jackson, S.C., on March 21 to observe first-hand how men and women train in the military.
"When a female comes to basic training, it can be overwhelming," said Sgt. Melinda Pressley, drill sergeant leader at the drill sergeant school. "The female Soldier generally has preconceived doubt about her ability to achieve physical fitness standards. But all Soldiers, regardless of gender, train to a single standard."
The dream
Growing up she wanted to be a policewoman after watching Egyptian mystery movies. Cpl. Qobol Al-Saadi, a medic, said she volunteered to join the police to help her country.
But it was difficult. Women working in the government are usually frowned upon.
"At 16, I secretly went to the police academy for training instead of school," she said.
When her family discovered the truth, she was able to convince them it was for the greater good. She and her younger sister are both in the CTU.
Cpl. Sahar Al-Salami, another medic, shared a similar childhood dream.
"I love adventure," Hamden translated for Al-Salami. "I like CTU because it is very challenging."
Sgt. Fatima Al-Ghambasi, an administrative assistant, said she hopes to see women involved in all jobs Yemen has to offer. Through Hamden, she said she dreamt of being a fighter pilot and the police force was the closet she could get to that dream.
Al-Ghambasi also said this tour of American tactical organizations was a good exchange of experience and how to fight and train as one team.
"I have confidence to face the challenges," she said through Hamden.
To achieve the level of equality and unity the Americans share in training and operations is the Yemeni women's goal, said Al-Saadi.
"Our government thinks we are too soft, but we're not," she said. "We're the first in the police to join [the CTU]. Maybe tomorrow ..."
| Date Taken: | 03.26.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 03.26.2007 14:08 |
| Story ID: | 9626 |
| Location: |
| Web Views: | 772 |
| Downloads: | 362 |
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