Women in Military + a Playlist
Words by: Maggie Laubscher | Music by: Abby Yemm
Today marks Veterans Day in America. It’s a day when we honor all living veterans. Here at The Nelle, we send extra love and a fighting spirit to female military veterans. They are the women who stand up, stand strong, and keep fighting -- for themselves and for us.
The strength of women knows no bounds. We are reminded of that in the stories of our closest friends, when we look in the mirror, and when we turn on the news. Most recently, we were reminded of it in the face of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris -- the first Black woman and first person of Indian descent to serve in that role. And we are continually reminded of that when we look to women vets.
With 1.64 million female veterans in the U.S., women currently make up 9 percent of all U.S. veterans. By 2043, that’s projected to increase to 16.3 percent. While women have informally served in the military since its inception - as nurses, disguised as men, etc. - it wasn’t until 1948 that Congress made it official. Even then, a restriction was included to limit female membership to just 2 percent. This restriction was finally removed in 1967.
The progress for women in the military has been slow and, at times, painful. The 1990s were a historic time for military women, with over 40,000 women serving in the Persian Gulf War and women allowed to fly combat aircrafts for the first time. However, the 1990s were also the time of Tailhook. The Tailhook scandal involved Navy and Marine Corps officers accused of sexually assaulting up to 83 women and seven men at the Tailhook Association Symposium. This scandal called into question the military’s overall climate towards women -- a climate in desperate need of reform.
Yet, progress has remained slow. Fast-forward to this year, in which Specialist Vanessa Guillen was sexually harassed and ultimately murdered by a fellow soldier. As our President Elect Joe Biden said, ‘We owe it to those who put on the uniform, and to their families, to put an end to sexual harassment and assault in the military, and hold perpetrators accountable.’
And so, the work continues. The fighting spirit continues. And we continue with it. While Veterans Day is about living war veterans -- who we very much honor -- in thanking the living we must also acknowledge those who laid the trail. As women, we need to tell each other’s stories long after we’re gone. Are you ready to bow down and be lifted up? Then read on. Female military trailblazers, fighters, and heroes are afoot…
Vanessa Guillen
lived 20 years; Sep 1999 – Apr 2020
Specialist Vanessa Guillen was born in Houston, Texas. She was a Gen Z baby like many of us, growing up playing soccer and running cross-country. After high school, she joined the army and ended up stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. It was there where she was brutally murdered by a fellow soldier on April 22 of this year. She was 20 years old. Before her death, Vanessa had told friends she’d been sexually harassed, according to a New York Times story. Her family has since called for improvement on the way sexual harassment is handled by the military. The hashtag #IAmVanessaGuillen also went viral, encouraging military members to talk about their own sexual harassment and assault experiences.
Loretta Walsh
lived 29 years; Apr 1896 – Aug 1925
In the spring of 1917, all signs pointed towards World War I. But as our country prepared, men were not enlisting in sufficient numbers. And so the country made an exception: permission was granted to enlist one woman. Loretta Walsh, who had to modify and wear a male officer’s uniform, made history as the first woman to officially enlist in the military outside of nurses. Twelve days later, the U.S. declared war and Loretta was an active-duty Navy woman. She later died at the age of 29 after a bout of influenza and tuberculosis.
Harriet Tubman
lived 91 years; Mar 1822 – Mar 1913
Harriet Tubman is a legend worthy of that title. In addition to her tireless work for the Underground Railroad, she worked as a cook and nurse for the Union Army during the American Civil War. From there, Harriet became an armed Union scout and spy. She was the first woman to lead an armed expedition during this war, with the Combahee River Raid. She was a fighter and a leader beyond her time.
Sarah Emma Edmonds
lived 56 years; Dec 1841 – Sep 1898
The story of Sarah Emma Edmonds was a new one to us, but now we will never forget her. After running away from home to escape her abusive dad, Sarah disguised herself as a man to remain hidden. When the Civil War began, she wanted to support the union and promptly enlisted under her male alias, Franklin Thompson. She served in active duty until she got malaria, forcing her to flee her regiment to avoid being discovered as a woman. Shortly before her death, she became the first woman to join the Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal organization of Union war veterans.
Ruby Bradley
lived 94 years; Dec 1907 – May 2002
Colonel Ruby Bradley was one of the most decorated military women in U.S. history. Trained as an army nurse, she was held in a Japanese prison camp for 37 months during World War II. She received 34 medals for bravery during her lifetime. She was also awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal, the Red Cross’ highest international honor.
