All The Sacrifice WAS Worth It In The End

When Janis formed the first Arabic military force, lots of people were a little suspicious of how this group of women performed, how well they were trained, and if they were prepared or not. Janis said that, “she broke a lot of the preconception about women in the military. “ (138) Anytime anyone would face her with some doubt, she would always come back with a quick response to prove them wrong, stating how now there are more women entering it, she said that, “about one in every four soldiers was a woman.” (138)

It was very difficult for women to get a spot in the Army, “But in the Reserves, women saw opportunities for advancement opening up. We were breaking down walls all over the place, and a lot of men were willing to support our efforts. If you were a woman who wanted to advance in the Army, a reservist is what you wanted to be.”

Although there were tons of men in military who did not want any women to set foot on the base, there was also a handful that did support them. Because of those few supportive men, they were a great influence on other men, showing that it was OK to let women in the force.

When she was moved up to be a Colonel Karpinski, so many men applauded her, because they know the struggle that she went through, and what she had to do to prove herself. She had to go the extra couple of miles, and withstand certain situations longer than the other men did, just to become a superior figure.

Even though Janis knew that every little extra thing she did was not fair, she was proud that she didn’t give up and continued on with it. Because of her, women in the army have someone to look up to, and have a strong goal that they want to accomplish, to become just like her.

Do I Want To...

While spending six years in Arabia, Janis decided to improve the military and change some things around. She decided to include more military women in the Army and make a strong female force. The women, who had always been interested in war, got so excited when they found out that they could actually be in the military.

At the time, that idea would have been considered as ludicrous. Janis said that, “They exalted the women of Kuwait, who had replaced killed or captured men in the underground, passing information to the Americans, hiding fugitives, and assisting the liberation forces any way they could. If the Kuwaitis needed help, these elegant Emirati women vowed to answer the call. And they were ready to defend their own homeland, as a kind of civil defense force.” (129)

These women were extremely brave, but the drive inside of them is was gives them the courage to want to be soldiers. Like Janis said, “These women were hungry for the mission and were committed to making it a success.” (131) It took a very long time for Janis to get the proper military help and commitment from other to help her succeed in her plan. Finally, she got this serious group of women, and trained them all night and all day. They were more than ready to go to war in Janis’ eyes, and she was so proud of them.

These select women changed history in Arabia, ever since then, women have been strategically thinking about the life they want to live, instead of getting married right away and having children. Because of Janis, these women are now beginning to develop a mind of their own, which is really amazing. Janis Karpinski said, “when we asked what happened in 1991, nobody had trouble remembering the answer. “We changed the military!” they would shout.” (133)

Good and Bad of Being Social Outcasts

Janis Karpinski spent six years in Arabia, being an observational military officer. As a woman, she was very interested in seeing how life differed from her life in the U.S. Janis had a preconceived idea about how women had basically no rights compared to all of the freedom that women here in the states do, just never witnessed it personally or saw what went on. She was in disbelief when she saw how women were actually almost shunned from society when they didn’t marry when they should be, and how no one wants them or wants anything to do with them. In the next quotation, she explain that, “Women in these poor emirates- and across the country, so some extent- were disproportionately worse off, especially if they were still single past the prime marrying age of fourteen to eighteen. Not every single woman in her twenties was considered a loser; in some cases, parents were too liberal to push their daughters out the door or too wealthy to need a dowry from a husband’s family. But many young, single women were indeed social cripples. They had failed to snare a husband, or they had been divorced and sent back to their families, sometimes with children to support. And on their own, they looked forward to a life of

dismal prospects.”(126)

The impressive part about these women who are treated so badly turn out to be very successful women. Because they do not marry and have children, they make their lives so much better. Becoming successful women in society, but “These hard-luck, unmarried women were often educated. Many had college degrees. They were qualified to work in banks, schools, hospitals, and offices. But they frequently faced hopeless discrimination.” (126) These women are great role models to other women, beacsue they show that when they are not married they can make a good life for themselves.

Just Give The Easy Stuff For Her...

When Janis Karpinski was thinking about joining the military police, she had lots of mixed feelings about it, and “the MPs weren’t sure about [her], either.”(61) When the women there came into that branch, “it cheapened the credential for all the guys.” (61) Although Janis knew that she was more than capable of becoming a military police, “the Army wasn’t sure that its women should be carrying weapons and arresting people.” (61) Janis liked the feeling of the power that she’d feel when operating with larger guns and rifles, she’d get this rushing feeling and loved it. Janis said that after the Navy actually accepted women into their shore patrol, “women still were kept out of the MP units attached to infantry divisions, for these cops directed traffic and took charge of prisoners on the battlefield.”(61)

Women were not granted the option of becoming an MP, they would do the “dirty work” as one could say. Yes, they did give a little bit more power to women in the Army and Navy, but it was still inferior tasks that were completed as opposed to the men, who had more important jobs and responsibilities. An example of what uniformed female police officers do is, “guarding installations, running enemy prisoner of war camps, escorting prisoners, and performing the other duties…and even that role caused some discomfort among the Army brass.”(61-62) Fortunately, the old ways of the Navy and the Army were changing and modifying itself, allowing women to enter and also make a change in the world.

"Female soldiers at almost taken for granted in today’s Army. Few, if any, would argue that women have no place in the Army, and their presence rarely raises an eyebrow. Yet, there remain a few bastions of male hegemony, one of which is the infantry. The authors in this section examine the wisdom and the practicality of assigning women to infantry squads, platoons, companies, and battalions. Nicholas Coppola, Kevin G. LaFrance, and Henry J. Carretta suggest an analytic methodology with which to examine the effect female soldiers might have on combat teams, particularly combat infantry units. J . Michael Brower argues strenuously that the time is ripe for meaningful roles for women in modern warfighting. Adam Wojack dispels the notion that women are too weak to serve as infantrymen or that women will undermine a unit’s cohesion or effectiveness."

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I Wish I Could Be Like Her...

Janis Karpinski saw and experienced how men degraded women in Fort McClellan. Although they were constantly getting put down by men, there were some women in the army who stood out by their power and authority, among the rest of the women. To Janis, these women were like superheroes to her, people that she admired and looked up to, and secretly, she wanted to be just like them. Janis recalls,

“In basic training an old-school lieutenant colonel had served as out battalion commander. She had always dressed primly and appropriately, looking like a recruiting poster from the ‘50s…Her fatigue uniform was tailored to look as if it had been painted on her. She had the rouser legs pegged to fit smartly inside her boots. She put herself together meticulously. She used to stand in the orderly room and have someone slip her boots on so that she didn’t wrinkle her trousers.”(53)

Janis continued on saying how amazed she was that the woman could be a so neat and perfect at all time. She admired how she always carried herself with grace and was so mature and calm, this woman was Janis’ role-model.

At Fort McClellan, Janis said that she, “learned about an even more impressive figure: the base commander, a larger-than-life career woman who was one of the first female two-star generals in the Army. She stood almost six feet tall, matronly and imposing, and soldiers whispered that she was a robot.” (54)

Janis also admired this women as well as the other one, but one thing that she made sure was that if she became as elegant as they were, that she would still be feminine, and have genuine feelings inside. She didn’t want to be emotionless like those women, she wanted to be real. After looking at herself as a freshman in the military, she realized that she had a long way to go to be like those women.

You Women DON'T Belong Here.

When Janis was starting out in the Army, almost right away, she instantly felt the pressure about being a woman in the Army. Janis said that she sensed as if she entered a world where it was for men only. Every head turned and eyed turned on Janis and the other women she was with while in Fort McClellan.

Janis had a preconceived idea about what it was going to be like joining the Army, she knew beforehand that the majority of men would not accept her right away, and look down upon her. She was aware of what was to come, but what she did not prepare for was how the men there were so blunt and out and open with the fact that they do believe that women don’t belong there-at all. The army recruiter at Fort McClellan was the first person she encountered who clearly felt as if women should not belong in the Army.

“This is our Army,” he said, gesturing to include himself and all the women sitting before him. “It’s changing but it shouldn’t change too much.” (47)

“Some recruits raised their hands immediately and asked why, if women proved that they were capable and fit, they couldn’t serve in the infantry.” (47)

“Hyatt’s answer was blunt. “There isn’t training in this school that can prepare you for the realities of war, “he told us. “You can be fit, you can be ready, ladies, and you still man not be able to handle the realities of war.” (47)

During the whole speech that Hyatt was babbling about, Janis sat there, almost with her jaw dropped. When she thought that at least he was done criticizing women, he continued, “If you think you’re ready to do this, the first thing we need to decide is whether to put women and men side by side at the infantry school,” he said. Then he added: “And I hope that day never comes.” (47)
These comments that Hyatt was saying was only the beginning of what was to come, and this is what Janis had to deal with along with the horrific training she would have to endure.