United States Women's Veterans Day, June 12, 2019

On this upcoming Women's Veterans Day, June 12, I wanted to take the time to recognize the Women in Service who came before us and will come after us.  As part of this recognition, I would like to take the time to recognize the laws that have led us to our current military state that includes the executive order to racially integrate the armed services in 1947 - signed by President Truman - a forward thinking president influenced by Eleanor Roosevelt and her husband, President Roosevelt.  

Pivotal to women in the armed services was the passage on June 12, 1948 by President Harry Truman of the Women's Armed Services Integration Act  or Public Law 80–625 and 62 Stat. 356. 

The passage of the law was the first time in military history that women were granted recognition and membership in the United States military. Prior to this period, women were not a permanent member of the military or subject to less than idea benefits and careers. 

Women have served this great nation since the American Revolution. During war time, women had served in combat roles, intelligence and espionage roles, and many other crucial roles within the military without compensation. Women in the military, prior to June 12, 1948 often were not recognized publicly for their service.

US Army. As we move toward the Army's birthday on June 14 (1775), I would also like to recognize those Women in Service who came before us. As a former member of the Women's Army Corps (WAC) and the last WAC basic training class at Fort Jackson, SC, it is important to examine where we, as female service members and veterans, earned the right to serve our nation and how we progressed as women, military service members and veterans to our current level of integration.

Those who came before and after us should be honored and remembers. Over 150,000 WACs served during World War II.  General Douglas MacArthur called the WACs "my best soldiers", adding that they worked harder, complained less, and were better disciplined than men ( Treadwell 1954, p. 460).  The 150,000 women who did serve released the equivalent of 7 divisions of men for combat. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower said that "their contributions in efficiency, skill, spirit, and determination are immeasurable"(Treadwell 1954, p 408). 

US Marine Corps.  The Corps was strict a male dominated service until WWII with the exception of 305 "Marinettes" who served during WWI. Marine Corps Commandant GEN Thomas Holcomb had initially opposed recruiting and integration of women into the Marine Corps. GEN Holcomb initially opposed recruiting women into the Marine Corps; yet, eventually he followed the example of the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard by working to "replace men with women in all possible positions".  On February 13, 1943, GEN Holcomb officially announced that women were eligible to serve in the Marine Corps; a date that is recognized and celebrated as the anniversary of women in the Marine Corps. 

Upon acceptance of women into the Marine Corps, the public thought there would be a catchy nickname for the women in the Marine Corps and began sending suggestions to US Marine Corps headquarters such as Femarines, Glamarines, and Sub-Marines. Yet, GEN Holcomb ruled out the cute titles. In the March 1944 issue of Life magazine, GEN Holcomb announced "They (women) are Marines. They don't have a nickname and they don't need one. They get their basic training in a Marine atmosphere at a Marine post. They inherit the traditions of Marines. They are Marines." In practice these women Marines were called women reservists. Ruth Cheney Streeter became their first director. MAJ Streeter was the wife of a prominent businessman, mother of 4 - three of which were in military service, and a leader in the New Jersey Health and Welfare work. She had never held a paying job prior to her work as the Director.  

US Navy.  The Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), a unit of the US Naval Reserve was part of the World War II war effort. Their numerous contributions provided vital assets to winning the war as well as providing that mixed gender forces could be successful.  A nudge from Eleanor Roosevelt prompted the Navy to consider a Women's Reserve Corps. President Roosevelt realized that servicewomen would be a wartime plus and signed the WAVES into law on July 30, 1942. Mildred McAfee, president of Wellesley College, was sworn in as a naval reserve lieutenant commander, the first female commissioned officer of the U.S. Navy and the first director of the WAVES. 

By early August 1942 women from all states applied for the general navy service positions offered in Bainbridge, MD. The first 644 women selected for the first course were required to pass an intensive 12-week training course in secretarial and clerical functions. By the Fall of 1942, the US Navy had produced a record 10,000 women for active service. Later women trained and served in a wide variety of careers such as aviation, medical, science, technology, and communications. 

The Navy created the WAVES to perform the same assignments as the WACs. The WAVES provided opportunities for male Sailors to go off to war as women Sailors were not eligible for combat duty. At least 1/3 of the WAVES were assigned to naval aviation duties during WWII. By the end of WWII there were 8,000 commissioned women officers and 75,000 women enlisted within the WAVES. With the passage of the Women's Armed Services Integration Act, the WAVES became a permanent part of the Navy until 1978 when women were fully integrated into military services.  

US Coast Guard (USCG). On November 23, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the establishment of the USCG Women's Reserve, known as the SPARS. This authorized the acceptance of women into the reserve as commissioned officers and enlisted personnel for the duration of the war plus six months. The purpose of the law was to release male officers and enlisted personnel for sea duty that were replaced by women at their shore station positions. The first appointed Director of the SPARS was Lieutenant Commander Dorothy Stratton who was later promoted to Captain. Lieutenant Commander Stratton had been the Dean of Women on leave from Purdue University. Lieutenant Commander Stratton had been an officer in the WAVES.  

Lieutenant Commander Stratton implemented strict educational qualifications for female officer candidates between the age of 20 and 50. Officer candidates were required to have a university education with a minimum of two years of college and two years of professional business experience in lieu of a full four-year degree. SPARS enlisted applicants were required to complete at least two years of high school and attain the age of 20 and be no older than 36. Enlisted personnel received their training on college campuses and later the USCG open their own recruit training center. In January 1945, the training of enlisted female personnel was transferred to Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, NY. The SPARS peak strengths were approximately 11,000 officers and enlisted. Until President Truman signed into law the Women's Armed Services Integration Act, women were not permitted long term careers in the military.

US Air Force.  The US Air Force utilized the well-known Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs), a group of United States federal civil service employees. WASPs originally became organized separately in September 1942 under two separate entities that were the pioneering organizations of civilian women pilots for combat roles during World War II. These separate organizations were combined on August 5, 1943 to form the WASP organization under attachment to the US Air Force. These women did not hold military standing in the US Air Force during their early inception. Women in the WASPs freed a male pilot for military combat or other duties. Key to this is the fact that the WASPS flew over 60 million miles that involved every type of military aircraft, towed targets that permitted live anti-aircraft gun practice, transported cargo, and simulated attacks of ground targets from low-flying aircraft using air craft mounted automatic weapons known as strafing. These women flew planes to their destinations, were not given financial compensation to return to their unit - paying for their own way out of pocket.  

 When WASPs were killed during combat, their families had to pay to have their bodies shipped back home for burial without military honors. WASPs were not permitted burials in Arlington nor military benefits for their families. These women within the WASPs were either buried unceremoniously or were unceremoniously sent home - they were forgotten. Please remember that one WASP disappeared while on a ferry mission with her fate still unknown as of 2018. That thirty-eight WASP members lost their lives in their efforts to provide service to our great nation. In 1977, for their World War II service, the members were granted veteran status, and in 2009 awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

 Remember that until June 12, 1948 women served only during war time, were not considered military members, and had no rights as veterans. The significance of the signing of the law by President Truman shifted everything for every woman who joined the military after that date. It was what made life different for every single one of US as military members and as veterans. 

As a community we need to continue to honor those who came before us by demonstrating that we ARE leaders within our communities and we WILL continue the good fight after military service to positively impact the world around us as we learn and grow together. 

I share this important information to remind our military community that we have come a long way as women who have served in the military and our respective countries. Yet, as women and leaders we must continue to use our voice and skills to impact the world around us.  

Working together we can and will make a difference.