Reflections on the Military

            I chose to do my final women’s studies project on women in the military because it is a very personal subject for me. As a child of a military family, I have seen first hand the many types of oppression women face everyday as a member of the armed forces. Although I have lived all over the world, I have also lived on three military bases: Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, Fort Drum in New York, and the USAG community in Garmisch, Germany. During these times I have met women who have thrived in their various branches, as well as women who did not receive their deserved promotions simply because they were not male. Although it seems like the military is a completely oppressive place for women, I do believe that it can become a place of great equality. Much like desegregation was a part of the military before the rest of the world, equal pay and power can be seen in the military before anywhere else as well. I believe that with continued review and reform, the military might inspire the idea of equality globally.