Women of the Military

Book excerpt: Women of the Military is a compilation of 28 stories of women who have started their path to military life, are currently serving, separated or retired. There are 4 stories from women in the process of joining, 14 stories from Air Force members, 8 stories from the Army, 1 from the Navy, and 1 from the Marine Corps. Women have served in the American military since as far back as the Revolutionary War. As years passed the role of women in the military has grown and changed. In 1948, women were allowed to serve in the US Military outside of war periods. During the Vietnam War, Cmd. Elizabeth Barrett was the first women to hold command in a combat zone. In 1976, the first woman attended a military academy. In 1998, female fighter pilots flew the first combat mission. And in 2016, after years of women serving in combat roles during Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom, all jobs were open to women in the military. There is such a rich history of women serving in the military. And while at one point in time most women served in the role of a nurse. Today, women are a part of every job. The role of women expanding military wasn't by chance. Instead, it was from women proving over and over again that they were a valuable asset and could be used and relied on in the field of battle. How do we know what happened beyond the highlights written in history books? I wanted to answer these questions so I started a journey. A journey to hear the stories of military women. Today I host a podcast, Women of the Military, where I get to talk to women who have served in the military. But before the podcast, my interviews were back and forth on paper. I have put together these stories. Women who have served as far back as Vietnam and as current as those entering the military in 2018. Stories from women who have served in the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines. If you've ever wondered what it's like to serve as a female in our military, you need to read this book.