Good Afternoon, today I would like to talk to you about women in the United States Military and how far they have come since being allowed to enlist in the military. James Brown recorded a song in 1966 called It’s a Man’s, Man’s Man’s world, but that is not true anymore, women are in the limelight now and not just in the shadows of the man.
Women in the U.S. Military have come a long way since the beginning of the 1940’s, beginning way back to the early years when women were almost never recognized until most recently where women are now the leaders.
The main points I would like to talk about today are the
Generation of Women in the military,
The Firsts
Women in Combat.
My first point is about women who have served in the Military since 1775, they nursed, laundered, and cooked for the troops in the beginning and have evolved in the 20th century to break through those gender barriers to be invaluable and essential part of the military today.
The generation of women in the military is now taking an increased role in the military. Women are now increasing their roles in the military from 300 years ago. Women continue to have crucial roles in the current operations and selflessly sacrifices continue. Women in the military have broken ground, opened doors, and made the choice of a military career easier for those who have followed in their footsteps. Women were thought to not be able to handle physical jobs in the earlier times and were used for menial tasks like taking care of the children, the home and the men. But as times have evolved they are now making strides and making more than most men in the working world. Reports show that around 8 million women in the United States gain nearly 1.3 trillion dollars and make a very big number of employees.
The second point I would like to talk to you about today is women firsts and one particular individual I would like to talk about is my Command Chief here at my base. She started out as a young airman 20 years ago and has worked her way up through the ranks and is now the very first female Command Chief Master Sergeant for the entire state. That is the highest enlisted rank in the Air Force. She is an inspiration to all women in the military here at this base. I am also the first woman in my family to serve in the military and there are a lot of women out there that are like me. Military commissions were unheard of prior to WWII but in 1940 that changed.
Other firsts in the military were: Olive Hoskins, -first women promoted to Warrant Officer in the Army in 1926
Sergeant Mary Belle Nissley- first military all women band was the Women’s Army Band which organized in 1942 and led by then. She left the military in 1946 but returned as a Captain in the Air Force in 1951 and organized the USAF WAF band.
Lt. Kara Hultgreen -first women combat pilot who died in service in 1994
Brig. General Jeanne M. Holm – first Brigadier General in the Air Force in 1971
Darlene Iskra - first woman to command a U.S. Navy ship - the U.S.S. Opportune in 1990

The last point I would like to talk about is women in combat. In 2013 the ban on women in