Women in the Military

Why this section? Over the years of putting out this special section The Recorder has profiled countless men and a handful of women. We thought it was time for women in military to be front and center, to have their stories told and knowing Porterville’s patriotism, we thought the community would enjoy reading them and felt there would be no shortage of stories. As it turned out, there were more than enough stories to write. Unfortunately, we could not write about all of them. The eight women that we did feature in this section provide a great glimpse into not only their military lives, but their decisions and actions that led to enlisting as well as their post-military days. We were able to talk with a woman who enlisted during World War II, one who served in a medical unit during the Vietnam War and one who spent time in Iraq, while others did not see action, they all proudly served their country. They all said being in the military was not easy, but it was one of the best decisions they had made. The lessons and skills they learned continue to serve them to this day. The friendships and connections made while in uniform have proved to be invaluable. Looking back on the history of women in the military, we found that women have been part of the effort since the Revolutionary War, when they wore disguises and served alongside men. One of the first American soldiers was Deborah Samson Gannett from Plymouth, Mass. She enlisted in 1782 under the name of her deceased brother and served for 17 months in the Continental Army. During World War I, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps allowed women to enlist. In World War II, a total of 350,000 women served in the U.S. military. During WWII, the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard established reserves for women. Over 40,000 women served in the 1991 Gulf War and engaged with enemy forces on an unprecedented level. On Sept. 5, 1990, the U.S.S. Acadia left San Diego for the Persian Gulf. Of the 1,260 on board, 360 were women. It was the first time American men and women shipped out together in wartime conditions. As of 2015, women make up about 15 percent of the U.S. military. More than 165,000 women are enlisted and active in the armed services with over 35,000 additional women serving as officers. We hope that you will join us in saluting these military women and the countless others before them and those who will follow in their footsteps.