Ironhorse Brigade celebrates Women's History Month

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Cupp | Butler, Ala. native Sgt. 1st Class Paula Street (right) from the 115th Brigade Support Battalion performs in a skit, playing Nancy Morgen Hart as she confronted three British soldiers during the American Revolutionary War, at a 1st Brigade Combat Team Women's History Month observance March 29 on Camp Taji, Iraq. Hart who was a member of a militia captured the three "redcoats" after they broke into her home and demanded food. The British troops were played by Spc. Francisco Calderon (left) of Bakersfield, Calif., North Richland Hills, Texas native Pfc. Adam Winkenweder (not seen), and Sgt. Jeremy Tucker (not pictured) of Moosic, Pa., all three of whom work in the 115th Brigade Support Battalion.  

TAJI, IRAQ

03.31.2007

Story by Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

By Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp
1st BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, recently took time out of their busy schedules here March 29 to celebrate Women's History Month in a program commemorating the achievements of women.

The theme for this year's celebration was "Generations of Women Throughout History" and the program incorporated skits, games and other presentations for the audience to enjoy.

Sgt. 1st Class Teresa Salmon, 1st BCT's equal opportunity advisor explained the significance of doing the program.

"It's important so that Soldiers are aware of how far women have come throughout history to get to where they are today," said Salmon, who hails from Rio Rancho, N.M. "It also shows women in the military what others have sacrificed so that they can have many of the positions and jobs that they now hold."

In four different skits, a few Ironhorse troopers portrayed famous people and moments in women's history. In one skit, Chicago native, Sgt. Yaheena Flemming of the 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion portrayed Harriet Tubman as she told exploits from her life and the things she had done to help save more than 300 African Americans from slavery through the Underground Railroad.

Sgt. 1st Class Paula Street of the 115th Brigade Support Battalion and a native of Butler, Ala. played Nancy Morgen Hart who was a spy for a local militia during the American Revolutionary War. The skit highlighted Hart during an exploit from her days serving in the militia when she captured three British Soldiers after they broke into her home and forced her to serve them a meal.

Two other performance pieces included a piece on women spies who helped U.S. forces during World War II, while the last skit covered the "hello girls" who were telephone operators who risked their lives in theater during World War I to keep Soldiers on the frontlines connected to their higher headquarters and other command posts.

Prior to the skits, Sgt. 1st Class Nora Mosley, brigade supply and services noncommissioned officer in charge for 1st BCT, read a Women's History Month proclamation written by Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Fil, commanding general, Multi-National Division - Baghdad explaining the importance of women throughout U.S. history and in the military.

"They played a vital role in shaping the future of our nation and they continue to make history serving in Afghanistan and Iraq," read Mosley, who hails from Edinburg, Texas. "We admire their courage and leadership."

An audience participation portion of the program involved a game of Jeopardy based on women's history-based themes in which audience members were given prizes for answering questions correctly. As with the television version of the game, all answers were phrased in the form of a question.

Another highlight of the presentation included Cottageville, S.C. native 1st Sgt. Dennis Bellinger, top noncommissioned officer for Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st BCT, singing "You Lift Me Up" as a slide presentation displayed photos taken throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom rotation 06-08 of female Soldiers in 1st BCT working both inside and outside the wire.

In the closing remarks, Maj. Lara Wages, 1st BCT brigade adjutant and a native of Deming, N.M. addressed women in the audience saying, "Thank you for working hard everyday to make the brigade a better place for both women and men. Now it's time for you to go and make your place in history."

For Pfc. Ashlee Brooks of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, the ceremony was quite meaningful.

"I liked it and really learned a lot, it was quite moving," said Brooks, who hails from Virginia Beach, Va.

"It was enjoyable and it's nice to recognize women's history," said Pfc. Marilyn Rattler also of Co. E, 2nd Bn., 8th Cav. Regt. and a native of Chicago, explaining that she was pleased to see that the Army has not forgotten that women have played a significant role in the military as well as other aspects of history. "It's good to know that when you contribute that you're appreciated even during times when you may think that you're not."

• Date Taken: 03.31.2007
• Date Posted: 04.02.2007 11:21
• Story ID: 9717
• Location: TAJI, IQ