I Felt More Welcome in Combat Than I Did on Base

In 2012, I was deployed to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to serve alongside Green Berets and infantry soldiers. As a member of an all-female cultural-support team, I was trained to interact with Afghan women and children, something that is culturally inappropriate for men to do. At the border, we encountered mortar attacks, improvised explosive devices, and firefights. Even though this time was tense, we worked well with our colleagues in U.S. Special Forces, in part because prior to our arrival, the detachment commander had set the conditions for our success. He told his men that he expected everyone to behave as professionals, to treat us as they would any other members of the team. He would not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment, or assault. Thanks to his leadership, and each man’s respect, I didn’t feel marginalized.

I didn’t feel the same on a relatively secure operating base in Iraq.

The military today relies on a growing number of female soldiers, and leadership understands that it must make changes for the women among the ranks. Some may seem small: The Army, for example, is and allowing new mothers to wear nursing T-shirts under their from their role in prosecuting sexual-assault claims. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has also signaled that he is in the military. All of these developments are certainly welcome and should go a long way toward making female soldiers feel more at ease. But the military needs even broader cultural change. Many male soldiers still believe that women do not belong in the military, and they objectify and marginalize those who join.