The United States Army Sergeants Major Academy officially recognized Women's History Month March 18 with a ceremony produced by members of Sergeants Major Course Class 66 in the Academy's Cooper Lecture Center where they recognized this year's theme -- Working to Form a More Perfect Union: Honoring Women in Public Service and Government.
After opening ceremonies Master Sgt. Rebeca Kennedy, Sergeants Major Course Class 66 student, set the stage for what the audience was about to experience during the rest of the program.
"Today we honor women who have shaped America's history and its future through public service and government leadership," she said. "We recognize the achievements of women in all facets of life that made a huge impact on the development of self-respect with an emphasis on positive role models and the importance of women from all backgrounds."
Following a short history lesson on Women's History Month by Kennedy, Master Sgt. Sundi Wright read the Presidential Proclamation. She was followed by Master Sgt. Teela Washington who recited Maya Angelou's poem -- Still I stand. That presentation was followed by a short video presentation highlighting the contributions women have made to the United States of America.
The guest speaker for the event was Sgt. Maj. Billie Jo Boersma, Soldier for Life program sergeant major and the first female command sergeant major of infantry brigade combat team as the command sergeant major of 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.
"Women's history is America's history," she said adding that there have been hundreds of public leaders and government officials who epitomize this year's theme and who have succeeded against great odds.
"Women's History Month is an opportunity to acknowledge groundbreakers of the past, thank heroines of today, and inspire the leaders of the future. It is a reminder that if we believe in ourselves, we can and will make a difference," Boersma said. "We have come a long way, ladies and gentlemen, and made significant progress, but we intend to go even further."
Boersma said that since the American Revolution more than 2 million women have served in the U.S. military and noted a few who "shattered glass ceilings." Women such as Mary Corbin who fought alongside her husband in 1779 and was the first woman to receive a disability pension for injuries sustained during her service; Dr. Mary Walker, the first female surgeon who served in World War II and the only woman to ever receive the Medal of Honor; and Lt. Elsie Ott the first woman to receive the Air Medal for her actions in WWII.
"Let's get to something we know, the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan and the likes of Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester and Monica Lin Brown," Boersma said. "These two women became the first female Soldiers to receive the Silver Star for exceptional valor in close quarters combat. These are only a few of the historical achievements that have helped shape not just the United States military, but our culture; the political and social fabric of the nation itself."
Boersma said the progress of women is a path they chart and has its foundation in the richness of the past and its future in the efforts of everyone.
"It's not about women. It's about all of us," she said. "It's about men and women."
She noted her own career as being the recipient of having a great leader who didn't back down to military and societal norms and took a chance on her based on her capabilities and experience alone, not gender.
"For the women in the room; know when to take that opportunity and use it to clear a path for those behind you. Don't use it as a spotlight event. Don't use it as a social experiment. Don't wear your Superman T-shirt beneath your uniform so you can pull it out every time somebody says you did something nobody has ever done," she said. "Be humble and know what you are doing is meaningful and it is going to move this nation forward."
She concluded her remarks by saying that sometimes to move forward you have to take the time to look back and encouraged all to do so and reflect on what great women have done to effect change.
"At the end of the day regardless of gender we serve a nation who relies on us to defend and keep her safe. That's what we do for a living. No gender plays a part in that,' she said. "It is important in its own right however, but we should never let it get in the way of greatness. Male or female, man or woman, give the opportunities and take the opportunities with and for each other. Let no capable person, no capable Soldier, go unnoticed because of gender."
Following Boersma's remarks, Master Sgt. Anazia Andrus-Sam acknowledge the recent Department of Defense decision to lift all gender based restrictions opening up some 220,000 jobs to women.
"This historical change allows women to serve alongside men in combat or units. I am honored today to witness the swearing in ceremony of such courageous women who will pave the way for women serving in combat arms military occupational specialties. These future courageous Soldiers will soon fall into the ranks of our Army strong organizations as well as fall into the formations of the command sergeants major of this class."
The audience was asked to stand and witness the following individuals take their oath of enlistment: Rocio Ibarra who is enlisting to be a 68A Biomedical Equipment Specialist; Jaelene Guilen who is enlisting to be a 31B Military Police; Priyanka Partniban who is enlisting to be a 68W Health Care Specialist (Combat Medic); Daisy Botello who is enlisting to be a 15Q Air Traffic Control Operator; and Evelyn Escobedo who is enlisting to be a 12B Combat Engineer. The oath was given by Capt. Marcelus Chambers, operations officer for the El Paso Military Entrance Processing Station.
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