2 minute read
Finding Your Value in Service.
Do you ever find yourself wondering, “What value do I bring to the ____ (fill in the blank with your branch)?” If you answered “yes, ” I can assure you, you’re not alone.
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Being a woman in the military can be daunting at times, Despite the news that even the Space Force is said to become one of the most appealing and inclusive branches for women (Seck, 2020), we still represent only a small section of the military.
This should lead women who have served, or are currently serving, to feel any less accomplished for their time in service than their male counterparts.
Growing up, Barbie was never my thing. It was one of my biggest goals as a kid to be like Rambo or GI Joe. Regardless of if you wanted to be Barbie or Rambo when you were a kid, you should find complete value in your service to our country because you are one of a kind, unique and amazing.
In a 2017 study completed by the Pew Research Center reported just over a million men and women serving in the military.
Women represented 16% of the overall active-duty force, which was a significant increase from 9% in 1980 and only 1% in 1970. Within the officer corps, women have increased steadily from 5% in 1975 to 18% in 2017 (Barroso, 2019).
Recently, Retired Admiral Michelle Howard was appointed to be the transition personnel to the Department of Defense for President-Elect Biden. Howard is former vice chief of naval operations and former commander of naval forces in Europe and Africa.
She was the first Black woman to command a U.S. Navy ship and the first woman promoted to the rank of four-star admiral (ADC, 2020).
Now, that is something to be proud about! Howard is the ideal military woman, representing the potential all women from the military have.
We military women, as a whole, need to focus on what we represent. We need to stick together. We need to support each other’s goals and accomplishments.
We have been making, continue to make, and will always make huge strides within all branches of the military.
We are all strong, accomplished, intelligent women in our own right.
An African proverb says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
Our value… your value… is immense and it is priceless. Don’t ever forget it! So, hold that head high, carry on and we will go far!
ADC (November 11, 2020) Biden Names Michelle Howard to DOD Transition Team https://defensecommunities.org/2020/11/biden-names-michelle-howard%E2%80%8B-to-dod-transition-team/ Barroso, Amanda (September 10, 2019)
The changing profile of the U.S. military: Smaller in size, more diverse, more women in leadership https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/09/10/the-changing-profile-of-the-u-s-military/ Seck, Hope (March 3, 2020)
US Space Force May Become the Female-Friendly Most Military Service https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/03/03/us-space-force-may-become-most-female-friendly-military-service.html
Diali Coll-Mercado
U S A R M Y
A Tesla, SpaceX, Elon Musk lovin', Gun totin', Chevy Classic car admirin' woman who served the country and community as a soldier & police officer. Now however, she is all about her Hubby and Kids! Bring on the weekend errands, events, and most importantly the Margaritas!
