Soldiers celebrate Women's History Month in Iraq

Photo By Sgt. Samuel Soza | Soldiers with the 1st Infantry Division sing The Army Song during the Women's History Month event at the Contingency Operating Base Basra town hall, March 26.  

BASRA, IRAQ

04.02.2010

Story by Spc. Samuel Soza 

1st Infantry Division

367th MPAD, USD-S PAO

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq — Soldiers gathered at the Contingency Operating Base Basra town hall March 26, to celebrate Women's History Month with an event that focused on the important contributions women have made that are sometimes forgotten.

"This year's theme is 'Writing Women Back into History,'" said Lt. Col. Leslie Alford, 1st Infantry Division inspector general, the guest speaker at the event.

"The implication, and the reality, is that over the years, women have been instrumental in some pretty significant issues and events," said the Jacksonville, Texas, native.

According to Alford, in 2009, women comprised 15.5 percent of the Army. Broken down, their numbers accounted for 13 percent of enlisted, 8.9 percent of warrant officers and 17.2 percent of commissioned officers.

As part of her address, she recounted experiences where she felt discriminated against because of her gender, but Alford said she was only fueled by the experiences to push on in her military career.

"I saw no reason why I should sit on the sidelines and watch other people do what I wanted to do," she said, "I believe that's what drove many of our women predecessors. They were trailblazers because something needed to be done, and they knew they could do it."

"Women are just people," Alford said, "With natural abilities, with burning ambition, with innate interests and curiosities, with dedication to ideals they hold dear to their hearts and have no bearing on what gender they happen to be."

The event also recognized notable women in music from the past 50 years with a performance from the 1st Inf. Div. band.

Afterward, Soldiers socialized and enjoyed cake decorated with the Women's History Month theme.

Spc. Elizabeth Peterson, of Decatur, Ala., a vocalist with the 1st Inf. Div. band, said the event was important in acknowledging the progress of equal rights, specifically in the U.S. Army.

"It's important because we were so restrained in how we could serve," she said, "It's good to be able to say, 'Look how far we've come.'"

• Date Taken: 04.02.2010
• Date Posted: 04.02.2010 08:06
• Story ID: 47586
• Location: BASRA, IQ