WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Aug. 27, 2010) -- U.S. Army leadership gathered at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Arlington, Va., Aug. 26, to celebrate Women's Equality Day on the 90th anniversary that women gained the right to vote in this country.
The leadership discussed keys to a successful military career, the challenges women have faced in the military, and changes the Army has made over the years in support of women in the service. Maj. Gen. Gina S. Farrisee, director Military Personnel Management for the deputy chief of staff of the Army, delivered a keynote speech that paid tribute to the brave and courageous actions of women in the service. "From the Revolutionary War to the present Global War on Terror women have served a vital role in our Army," Farrisee said. "Women have continually proven that the narrow stereotype of limiting their choice of occupation is wrong." Women today are senior noncommissioned officers, helicopter pilots, general officers and medics, and they serve in the senior executive service. They make up 14 percent of the active Army and operate in over 93 percent of the occupations in the service. One hundred and twenty-two thousand women have deployed since 2001, and over 16,000 are currently in theater. Nearly 700 have been casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, and 63 have paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. These women are heroes. "The heart of a warrior is not limited to one gender”.
