Did you know 23,000 women make military effort in Iraq

23,000 women make military effort in Iraq
Q&A: A 34-year veteran talks about her experiences.
By ROSE COX
[email protected]
Published: November 9, 2007

The death in Iraq this week of Staff Sgt. Carletta S. Davis of Anchorage vividly demonstrates the evolving role of women in the U.S. military. As one of about 23,000 women deployed to Iraq with U.S. and coalition forces, Davis was the 85th woman to die there when a roadside bomb exploded near her Humvee.

Women in the military will be the focus of an event honoring women veterans at 6 p.m. today at Loussac Library.

Once relegated to the sidelines as telephone operators and administration specialists, military women now work as medics, policemen and helicopter pilots. They comprise 15 percent of active duty soldiers, and 17 percent of reserve and guard personnel, according to Department of Defense figures.

And their numbers are growing -- 20 percent of new recruits are women. The Veterans Health Administration expects women will account for 14 percent of its clients by 2020.

Along with more career opportunities come concerns ranging from sexual harassment to increasing exposure to combat. Command Sgt. Maj. Cynthia Pritchett, tonight's keynote speaker, faced working effectively with men in a country where women don't serve in the military.

In her position with the Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan from 2004 to 2006, Pritchett, 52, was responsible for the welfare of 20,000 troops. She traveled into the war-torn country to assess progress on the mission, reported on the needs of troops in the field and the Afghan people, and oversaw training of the Afghan National Army.

From her office at Central Command, McDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla., she talked about women's role in the military. Her comments were edited for length and clarity.

Q: What were the challenges of being the top-ranked enlisted woman in Afghanistan?

A: I dealt a lot with the Afghan National Army, and they're not used to women in leadership positions. Initially, they were standoffish. But they were able to get past it and tell me what their needs were.

Q: How has the role of women changed during your 34-year career?

A: I started in a separate corps (Women's Army Corps), living in a separate barracks and going out to work in units where men were. In 1978, we were totally integrated. I was assigned to units with my male counterparts and lived in the same barracks.

Q: Was that a difficult transition?

A: It was bumpy at first. When I was sent to Fort Bragg (North Carolina), I was assigned as a platoon sergeant. My company commander interviewed me to see if I could handle troops. If I was male, there would have been no interview. But I felt I was part of the team. We were given the same opportunities as men.

Q: Is gender integration good for the military?

A: I think so. Now they get to choose the best of the best. It's now about what you bring to the table.

Q: In what way is it different for women serving in Afghanistan and Iraq than in previous wars?

A: In previous wars, there was the front line, the intermediate level and the rear. Most women were back in the rear. Today, it's a 360-degree battlefield. The enemy attacks supply lines, logistics convoys, that have female truck drivers and MPs. Women aren't in combat arms (infantry, artillery or armor units) but they're definitely in combat. I got shot at more than once, and I shot back.

Q: Do you foresee a time when women will serve in direct combat units?

A: Once you set a standard, you have to let people compete to meet the standard. If they succeed, I say let water seek its own level.

Q: Has the military changed its recruitment strategies to attract women?

A: I haven't heard that they're targeting women; there are no quotas out there. You pass the tests; here are the jobs available.

Q: If the draft is reinstated, should women be included?

A: If you're going to make 18-year-old men sign up, you need to make 18-year-old women sign up. That's my opinion.

Q: A reported 3,000 women were sexually assaulted while serving in the military last year. Would you say sexual harassment is prevalent in today's military?

A: We have a zero-tolerance policy. Where we find it, we deal with it. Will we ever be able to eliminate it? We're a microcosm of society. If they can eliminate it there, we could eliminate it here.

Q: Can you sum up your 34-year career?

A: When I joined the Army in 1973, if someone told me I'd be the command sergeant major taking care of 20,000 troops in a time of war, I would have told them they were on drugs. It has been the most challenging, rewarding, and at times frustrating, experience that I could have never imagined.