Headlines, bumper stickers, billboards- turn around and look, somewhere close there is something announcing, “My Dad is a solider”, “Our sons are fighting for freedom” and “Thank you for Fighting” with the ubiquitous fresh faced young man with a grim look and sand colored uniform.  How about this from the CNN website? “Moms, wives remember sons, husbands at war.” Look at a few protest signs, “Bring back our sons”, “I want my Dad back!”  Emotional messages to be sure. 



When was the last time you saw a protest sign saying, “Bring Back Our Daughters!” or “Support Our Mothers!” What about a news story? “Military Husbands: How They Cope” or “Little Boy Surprised on His Birthday by Sister Serving in Iraq.”  Rarely do people even acknowledge that women are serving overseas at all, let alone in actual combat.  It’s disturbing to see the few mentions of female soldiers inevitably turn them into victims.  Sexual harassment is a perennial favorite. Susceptibility to PTSD, depression and other mental issues after returning from war began as a military issue.  Now, it is a female military issue.
More women then men report symptoms and seek help.  Could the culture of sexism in the military be to blame?  If women are seeking help, then any man who chooses to do so could be considered weak.  Any solider who chooses help; male or female runs the risk of being looked down upon, simply by virtue of needing help.  “Army of One,” “Be All That You Can Be” phrasing that suggests self-reliance and individualism; but not too much individualism. The military culture of self sufficiency and teamwork, leadership and obedience is another topic but one that dovetails into the issue at hand. 



Females in the military have a higher mountain to climb, an almost Sisyphus-ian task to achieve equality with their male counterparts.  Their honor is not nearly so guarded, their skills downplayed while their ‘detriments’ to their units are broadcast far and wide.  Their sacrifices are mentioned in passing, if at all, while a male solider is canonized for putting off his wedding for a year or two.  The only headline a female solider can count one is the local paper, when she gives her life for her country, unless of course she gets captured.  Jessica Lynch endured horrendous circumstances, but the focus was not on a solider being kidnapped, it was on a female soldier being kidnapped and the twisted sexual nature of her capture. People are fascinated by such gruesome stories; therefore, they get the billing.  This is once again proves a detriment to male victims, we don’t hear about male kidnapping nearly as often.  Why would we? They are men, able to handle the strife and torture with a masculine stiff upper lip.
The intention of this entry is not to diminish the sacrifices all soldiers are making to fight this endless war.  I just want to be sure all soldiers are getting support.

 

It pisses me off to see the lack of recognition; it should piss you off too.

*Title Credits: Homer Simpson, “Lisa on Ice” season 6 episode 8 (a fantastic episode by the way)