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"Ma'am, you are really good at your job, and I've enjoyed working with you," a fellow soldier said to me on my way out of Afghanistan in 2010 after serving a year overseas as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division.
"You still don't belong here, but it's been good," he concluded.
That, and much worse, is what I heard as a steady drumbeat during my service in the Army.
Women put up with inappropriate and demeaning comments, the challenges and the intimidating moments as the only woman in the room or at the table, because they have grit, determination and -- most importantly -- a sense of patriotism and duty that our military needs.
Attempts at erasing the history of military women -- along with people of color and the LGBTQ+ community, for that matter -- are already underway, as a result of an executive order purportedly aimed at eliminating efforts to promote diversity in the military.
Erasing history has never made anyone stronger, and will undermine the ability of patriotic Americans to serve.
Accounts of incredible, strong women influenced me to join the military. Stories of nurses from every conflict beginning with the Revolutionary War, the Women's Army Corps, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion and, certainly, those trailblazers who continue to pave the way by serving as Army Rangers and Special Forces are essential examples to women -- whether they serve in uniform or not -- that closed doors can be opened. This legacy of unstoppable women who have worn the cloth of our nation continues to guide me today and will for the rest of my life.
From my very first assignment, I was fortunate to have female mentors and leaders whom I looked up to and aspired to emulate. These women not only paved the way for me and my peers, but their leadership shifted the culture in the military. Their leadership and competence helped male counterparts recognize that different perspectives are a strength that is crucial when analyzing situations to develop military strategy on the battlefield.
Not only do our female service members make a difference, but they are mission-critical -- women Marines who served on female engagement teams were necessary when forming relationships with tribes in Afghanistan and procuring essential intelligence. Women who serve expand the capabilities of our military.
The removal of female general and flag officers is a further setback. Eliminating role models and removing voices at the most senior levels of command jeopardize fair and equal treatment of military personnel. Female senior leaders, by their expertise, work ethic and gravitas, influence their male peers throughout the services and help ensure that every single military service member is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve for raising their right hand and swearing to defend the Constitution of the United States of America.
I remember as a truck company commander, a unit that deployed three times to Kuwait and Iraq under my command, having my fellow company commanders (who were all men) literally turn their backs on me when I approached them. I was one of two female company commanders on the base, and I commanded the only deployable company on the installation. Despite the behavior of my peers, I persevered because female leaders I had in my previous assignments had demonstrated that there was a place for me as a leader in the military.
So, where will our military be when military women's history is no longer told and female leaders are removed?
While recruiting goals were met for the Army in 2024 before the recent purge, a larger percentage than ever before were women. By attempting to delete the inspiring stories, by reversing policies that have made the military a safer and more attractive career choice for women, and by removing senior female leaders who inspire and protect junior service members, not only will our military recruitment numbers decrease, but our military as a whole will suffer.
For years and years, there have been efforts to make the military more attractive to women. Those marketing efforts, which used real examples of women serving and making an impact, will continue to drive women to the military, but as senior women are removed and examples of courageous women are erased, young female enlisted and officers most likely will no longer see women as valued members of the military. The number of women who feel empowered to join will decrease.
Thankfully, there are organizations such as the Military Women's Memorial and the U.S. Army Women's Foundation that are dedicated to preserving what military women have done both on and off the battlefield, but they will be fighting against forces trying to erase the legacy of women in the military.
Diversity does make us stronger, and it was a fundamental component of how the United States was founded. If we want to be more united, we should embrace the things that make us stronger because we are diverse, not use our differences to inflame tensions.
We, female service members, must stick together and have our voices heard. We must tell our stories. And for those of us who no longer wear the uniform, we must speak even louder for those who still serve and could face repercussions for speaking up. We all need to reach out to our legislators and demand that they speak up, too.
So, to the staff sergeant who told me I didn't belong and any other person who shares this opinion, I, along with every other woman who meets the military's standards, absolutely belong, and we give our great military a strength that can't come from training. It comes from our heart and drive to serve our country. Nothing anyone else says can take that from any of us, and we will not be erased.
-- Retired Lt. Col. Michelle L. Horn served in the U.S. Army and now continues her commitment to service through her work at Fisher House Foundation and as a member of the board of directors for the U.S. Army Women's Foundation.
