For Nov. 16th
“I am not a big fan of being identified as a woman anything. I worked so hard not to be different from the other Soldiers for most of my career. Being effective in combat requires only that you place the mission first, that you will never quit, never accept defeat, and that when a buddy falls, you do not leave them behind” (Holmstedt vii-viii).
This quote from the text is fascinating to me as it relates to two separate texts we have read in regard to the military and the identity of those who serve in it. First, it reminded me of the piece titled Making the Corps from Thomas E. Ricks which the class read while studying ‘Embodiment’. In this piece, Ricks explores the transition from individuality in civilian culture to uniformity in the marines. The text explains, “ Nobody’s an individual...” (Ricks 64). This pertains to Band of Sisters as the quote from Maj. L. Duckworth promotes the idea of stripping one’s identity, meaning gender, sexuality, race, etc., and absorbing into one’s unit to accomplish their duties. Maj. L Duckworth’s perspective is interesting to me because she only wishes to serve alongside her peers, not to be memorialized as the first woman to do anything and that she does not wish to be treated differently than the men in her unit. Some wish to have the title of the first woman in direct combat or the first marine, but she disapproves of this personally. Another interesting point in regard to this quote is how it undermines the conservatives’ belief that including marginalized Americans in the military is paving the way for the institution to become a social experiment. In Beth Bailey’s piece The Politics of Dancing: “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and the Role of Moral Claims, she asserts that conservatives desire to bar the inclusion of the LGBT+ community because the military was not a place for “social experiment” (Bailey 104). I included this quote because the entire book (Band of Sisters) weakens this “argument”. The women in this book wish to not be treated differently by their peers or superiors, nor do they want to serve as catalysts for social change. The women in this novel simply desire to serve their country and constantly put their life in danger because they believe in protecting America and democracy, not to be memorialized or honored in history or to bring about social change. Overall, this quote made me think about how women serving in the military just wanted to do their duty and serve their country, meanwhile it was the people they risked their lives to protect who undermine their ability to serve.
The various experiences of these women that are chronicled show that these women are regarded as equal, especially in the combat roles that they are in. In the story chronicling the experiences of Blais, Kispetik and Cunningham, the male marines are uneasy about women being in their unit but once they are in the field that uneasiness goes away and they are paid little mind. The staff sergeant even states that they will be treated like every other grunt while they are in the field, something that they all welcome.
ReplyDeleteThis is true for all of these women, even Lillie who is not exposed to combat. She is treated equal by her superiors and expected to do her job like her male counterparts.
The reason for these women (at least for Kispetik and Blais) to sign up is that many of their family members were in the service and they wanted to continue the tradition. The same as Kovic and Swofford
“You don’t earn your wings as an F-18 aviator through meekness, low self-esteem, and second-guessing yourself – which by the way are characteristics often applied to the female gender. Some argue that women don’t possess the attack mentality and ego necessary to be a successful fighter aviator. McGrath contends that they do and that these women can be found not only in F-18s, but also in board rooms, courtrooms, and operating rooms throughout the United States” (Holmstedt, 93).
ReplyDeleteI believe that Band of Sisters, employs a clever way in looking at women in the military during the Iraq War by being an anthology book. In showing different experiences of women in the military, whether they are in a combat situation, being a weapons’ system operator in an F-18, or working on an aircraft carrier, the book reveals the important roles that women played in the War in Iraq. In addition, the experiences of each of the soldiers provides a look at the challenges they overcame, tasks they completed, and issues that they faced. Even though women were not allowed to be in combat roles during the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003, with the ban being released in 2013, Band of Sisters reveals that these soldiers were not isolated from combat. In a repeating theme that is echoed throughout each experience, women are equal to that of men. They face the same challenges, danger, and situation and have proven that they are capable in doing anything that a male soldier can do. I think this is best represented in the chapter “Call Sign: ‘Krusty.’” McGrath is set on flying in the military since a young girl, but women were prohibited from flying because of the fear that if they were shot down, they would be sexually assaulted by their captors (Homstedt, 89). McGrath saw this as contradictory because there is always an aspect of danger that belongs to war. Furthermore, you cannot compare the potential torture of a female soldier to be worse than males. In doing so, the military is saying that women cannot take the consequences of being put in danger as men can. The ban on women from flying in combat areas would be lifted in 1993. The reason for banning women from flying in combat and the overall ban of women in combat roles is similar to the reasons for banning African Americans and LGBTQ+ soldiers: it would disrupt unit cohesion, since men would not be able to trust women. This is proven wrong in McGrath’s experience when she helped Marines that were under fire and Santere later found McGrath to send her his thanks (Holmstedt, 108). Band of Sistersshows that women are capable of fighting and face similar challenges as men in war, through the stories of the American women who served in Iraq.
One theme that remains prevalent throughout “Band of Sisters” is this idea of women being proud to be distanced from their identities as women. In the chapter, “Schoolhouse Rocks,” there is an interaction between Kispetik and Blais where it is explained, “Before meeting one another, they would check one another out. What kind of Marine are you? Are you a Slacker? Do you play the female card? Are you good to go?” (6). This warrants unpacking what is meant by “female card.” In socially constructed norms of gender, it probably means translates to “Do you make excuses for yourself?” or “Are you weaker than the rest?” Although it is not the womens’ to fault to have fallen for such a doctrine, it is upsetting. Rather than being the ones to prove that such a card doesn’t matter or isn’t applicable based on gender, the aim is to be the exception to the rule. Women are complemented for their ability to be “one of the guys” rather than just being notable women. Underlying this, singular women are being expected to “prove” that all women are capable of serving This is similar to what happened regarding race in the military. An African American soldier has to prove they could serve, and that service was good only in relation to a white man. The fact that women are in a position where they have to prove their right to be included by being unlike the expectations of their gender rather than just inherently being included in the first place is proof that society simply still sees women as being inferior beings. Overall, the “woman card” is something women must throw away as soon as possible if they want a chance to play at all.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that stood out to me in the reading was on page 223, where we see an example of the same stereotyping or misaligned language I was guilty of in class on Friday. The author says Mayo was "just as much of a Marine as the men". Then men in her unit were shocked how neat her pack was and how professional Mayo was, and I think the offer makes a great point on this page, saying she was trained as a marine just like the men she was serving with. Mayo's choice of pack, the older of the two, also seemed to gain her respect with the men she served with, breaking traditional gender roles of women always shopping for the newest fashion, as Holmstedt points out here. Mayo's personality suits her perfectly for her role and I was really impressed with her.
ReplyDelete“This twenty-nine-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee, knew that how she performed in battle would influence how future black women were received in military aviation and more specifically, in the dog-eat-dog Cobra community. Her strengths and weaknesses, accomplishments and disappointments would be watched closely” (pg. 155).
ReplyDeleteI know we touched briefly upon the idea that this quote presents in our discussion during class on Friday, but I think it deserves to be fleshed out further. It is a sad and startling truth that throughout history, marginalized people have not only faced discrimination upon assuming high-ranking roles or positions of power within the military, but have had to deal with the additional burden of representing their entire “kind” - whether that be a certain race, sexuality, or gender. To put this kind of pressure on one person - to decide the fate and validity of countless future volunteers without ever giving them a chance - is largely ridiculous, but it’s the reality that women like Vernice Armour have found themselves facing. This role of spokesperson is not only intimidating but isolating, as it distances women from the supposed equity and camaraderie of their military units and forces them to be on even higher alert, always careful not to trip up lest their mistake become an argument for future exclusion. The easiness of the cohesion among male soldiers is not necessarily a personal or even intentional system of ostracism against women, but it is alienating nonetheless according to Armour herself and many other women who were one of few or the only female in their military unit. Armour also acknowledges the pressure previously mentioned, stating rather valiantly that “if she could help pave the way for others the way it had been paved for her, then the sacrifices were worth it” (pg. 177). Though I certainly admire her strength and I agree that “the way” needs to be paved since it hasn’t been already, I also sense a slight exhaustion in her statement; why is it necessary that she not only prove herself, but somehow prove the capability of women she doesn’t know - of women over whose abilities she has no effect or influence.
"What DeCaprio lacks in size she makes up for her gumption. She doesn't need a .50-cal to be confident and courageous. She was that way before she ever became an MP. But the Marine Corps put those traits to the test and exposed her true grit. She passed the test and was eager to return to Iraq and do what she does best -- protect her troops" (Holmstedt 153). This quote sums up the argument the entire book is trying to make; that being a woman does not mean woman are incapable of doing jobs historically classified as male jobs. The entire book tells the story of different woman in the military. Every story told shows the valor of that individual and the extent of how they could do their job as well as if not better then men. This quote shows that woman are just as goal oriented and driven as men despite physical differences. One point that this is clear when again, DeCaprio showed up one of the other men in the unit in test firing their .50-caliber rifles. This quote also brings up an interesting perspective that the training for the Corps is the only reason that these specific traits were shown. This perspective is one I disagree with and instead believe that the training is what showed these traits to a wider audience and allowed for more people to be able to see it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the people who aren’t delivering the necessary respect to the woman who are serving are the people they are fighting for. You can not include everyone under that topic but those are your people who are separating women from the rest of the military. I do agree that overall woman are clearly different from men and that is a fact. There’s many things that divide a female from a guy but every female is capable of doing anything a male can do and that also is a fact. I believe woman in the military is an awesome thing, does it surprise me? Absolutely not but do I think there are some females who couldn’t withstand the military life? Yes I do but there’s also many men who don’t make it through and that’s why I think the whole bootcamp criteria is awesome. Their goal to physically and mentally break you to filter out the strong from the weak is a fascinating situation. Something that did surprise though was that you don’t hear of current or former veterans/soldiers saying that having women in their squadrons interferes with safety, trust, and the bond between the group. As we know from the previous readings, many men believed that allowing homosexuals into the military would contradict with squad chemistry and safety. It just surprises me, specially not hearing it from an older and higher ranked veteran that having woman could potentially sabotage teamwork and what not. I don’t believe it would that is just something that makes me think.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the novel Billy presents a perspective of an unordinary type, at moments during his night such as the half time show performed by Beyoncé, he loves it. Yet in other moments, specifically when people come up to “thank him” he is repulsed by their ignorance. Are they really thankful for what Billy has sacrificed? I think the idea of supporting our military is crucial within the novel. Whether it’s the wealthy franchise owner that he meets or the “spongey twinkie” he is put off by their careless gratitude. One specific event is when the security officers ask the bravos to move, but Billy found a happy place right before that. Yet even though they are service members meant to be honored they aren’t treated like that. So, I think the questions arises, do we use our gratitude toward service members for our own self gratitude. Organizations such as the NFL have made fortunes off of the so-called support of our troops through marketing of specific clothing lines or etc. And I think Billy begins to realize the reality of public gratitude. For example, when he says “How much reality can unreality take.” This keys at the idea that the American public is so blinded by their own personal ambitions that they don’t know the reality, so how much does it take to unblind them.
ReplyDeleteHolmstedt really expresses women quality in the novel. This novel shows how women are equal in the combat field and in units. Blais, Kispetik, and Cunningham were all accepted with open arms by the unit. They trusted them right away. The staff sergeant let Blais and Kispetik clear out one side of the school by themselves. That event shows how women can be easily accepted in combat units if men show trust. The staff sergeant tries to express he is going to treat Blais and Kispetik just like every other grunt in the unit. I truly believe that women should be aloud to fight for their country. If they are willing to sacrifice there lives for their country, why can't they fight? Like we mentioned in class some men are stronger then some women and then some women are stronger them some men. Band of Sisters really shows how women can be accepted and also how units with women in it can be effective.
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