Fort, community support gender equality, recognize women's contributions

By Angela CaMarch 31, 2016

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1 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Latter and Maj. Gen. Scott Berrier, commanding general, U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence & Fort Huachuca present Patricia Munoz, director of Adult Probation and chief of Juvenile Court, with a certificate of apprec... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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3 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Latter and Maj. Gen. Scott Berrier, commanding general, U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence & Fort Huachuca present Trudy Berry, superintendent of Cochise County Schools, with a certificate of appreciation for her per... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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4 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Latter and Maj. Gen. Scott Berrier, commanding general, U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence & Fort Huachuca present Judy Carroll, Women's Army Corps veteran, with a certificate of appreciation for her personal impact ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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5 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Latter and Maj. Gen. Scott Berrier, commanding general, U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence & Fort Huachuca present Marian M. Fletcher, Women's Army Corps veteran, with a certificate of appreciation for her personal i... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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6 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Latter and Maj. Gen. Scott Berrier, commanding general, U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence & Fort Huachuca present Lynnise Moore, Women's Army Corps veteran, with a certificate of appreciation for her personal impact... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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7 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Latter and Maj. Gen. Scott Berrier, commanding general, U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence & Fort Huachuca present Virginia Gannon, Women's Army Corps veteran, with a certificate of appreciation for her personal impa... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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Fort Huachuca, Arizona - Fort Huachuca hosted its annual Women's History Month Observance event March 29 at Thunder Mountain Activity Centre and highlighted the trailblazers of gender equality and women's rights.

The program was developed and hosted by Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence and featured Lt. Col. Candice Frost, commander, 304th Military Intelligence Battalion, as the guest speaker. Six women from the local community were also honored for their personal impact to women's history and for their contributions as strong leaders to this community and the military.

"This month marks the celebration of trailblazers, pioneers who led the way with brave hearts and determination for gender equality," said Capt. Jennae Tomlinson, commander, HHC, USAICoE, as she opened the event. "Today we celebrate the women who have gone before us, those who have challenged laws and policies, refusing to be mistreated or discriminated against simply for being a woman. Those who have challenged societal norms, regardless of what consequences may have followed."

Tomlinson highlighted the impact these women have had on the lives of everyone sitting in the audience and encouraged those in attendance to reflect on the women in their personal story who have played a role in the careers and development.

"If it were not for women disguised as men, enlisting under aliases in the Civil War, there may have never been a woman allowed in uniform. If it were not for the women who struggled through the fight for equality, women today may not be leaders in government or even allowed to vote. If it were not for three women attending and successfully graduating from Ranger school this year, we may have never seen a female Ranger or seen the doors of combat arms opened. And sometime in the not-so-distant future, we may even have a female president leading our nation."

As Tomlinson introduced Frost, she spoke of the impact the battalion commander has in the lives of those who follow in her footsteps.

"I continue to be reminded that it was the women who came before me that allowed me to graduate and serve in the positions I have held," Tomlinson said. "Lieutenant Colonel Frost is just one of the many that came before me. She is an excellent leader, mentor and Soldier who exemplifies and sets the example that should be followed by not just women, but all Soldiers in the military."

Frost began her remarks with a reference to the first line of the U.S. Constitution, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union…"

"What [the Founding Fathers] meant by 'a more perfect Union' is, we will never reach perfection. The Founding Fathers actually put that in there on purpose stating 'that we recognize as a country we can never reach perfection, but we must constantly work and strive to reach perfection," she stated. "And so that's what we in the Army do, and that's why we have these celebratory events, because we look at where people have come before and the history that's gone before us and the many contributors that are actually here in this room today and what they've done."

Frost continued to relate a story of how her favorite book on military theory, On War by Carl von Clausewitz, would have never been published if it hadn't been for his wife, Marie von Clausewitz, who gathered his papers and worked with him to publish it.

"So when we look at relationships and talk about women's history, it's truly the men and women who work together," she said. "I wouldn't have even known that occurred if it hadn't been for Vanya Bellinger, Sergeant Bellinger's wife who uncovered the history of this and published it in a book," Frost added referencing a Soldier in the audience.

As Frost related her own history, she told of attending a Bob Dylan concert where she received the call from her Senator telling her she'd been accepted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

"I wasn't your typical West Pointer," she said. "I showed up, and I started to conduct tactics, and I started to Soldier, and I inadvertently fell in love with the Army. I didn't go in thinking this was my life's goal and desire, but it ended up being.

"As I slowly and patiently fell in love with the Army I started to look at the branches that I could go, and I went up to the infantry table and said, 'This is for me, I really enjoy this, I like tactics and I like small groups, sign me up.' And then the Army said, no you're a woman."

Frost explored infantry, armor and artillery with the same response before deciding to go into military intelligence.

"I found a loop hole," she said. "I could go military intelligence and still go to all those other units, but still be a female. So they assigned me to Fort Bragg, and I was like score one for the home team. Then I got assigned to the 82nd [Airborne], and I was like score two. But when I got there they were like, 'yeah see, you're still a female.' And I was like that's not going to change guys."

Frost explained how she got lucky and received a platoon leader position with the 313th Military Intelligence Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, but a field exercise didn't go as planned. After the direct support company commander let her know he didn't appreciate her being there and didn't think she should be there and that she might want to find another unit, she sat in the back seat of her HUMVEE and thought to herself, "If not me, then who? If I'm not here leading this platoon, then who will lead this platoon? If I'm not here challenging to attempt to go into an infantry brigade, then who does? And so I kinda' dug my heels in."

Frost looked around her at all the "rock star" leaders and mentors she had in her intelligence unit who encouraged her to be the first female in an infantry brigade. She knew it was going to be tough and she sought out those mentors who would be critical to her development and considered her a valuable member of their team.

"So when we go forward and look at mentors, it's not necessarily like and like," she said. "You don't always have to find that mentor that's going to inspire you just because they look like you and talk like you. It's because they fight for you.

"Who can we empower? Who can we inspire?

"Back in 1994 when I stepped foot onto the plane, 67 percent of jobs [in the Army] were open to women. Ladies and gentlemen, as of 2016 100 percent of jobs are open to women in the Army. What a significant change. And that's because of the men and women in this room.

"We stand on hallowed ground here…in a couple weeks Ranger Regiment will come to the 304th MI Battalion, and they are going to assess the first group of female second lieutenants to go join, potentially, if they meet the accession marks for the Ranger Regiment."

The crowd burst into applause with this announcement and Frost continued.

"That is significant and it's great news, but guess what," she said. "We're going to have some failures out there. We're going to have a lot of people fail, but that's okay, because now my daughter and my son both have the opportunity to fail Ranger school. And that's awesome!

"We have worked here to strive to a more perfect Union."

There ceremony concluded with a special recognition for Trudy Berry, superintendent of Cochise County Schools; Judy Carroll, Women's Army Corps; Marian M. Fletcher, Women's Army Corps; Virginia Gannon, Women's Army Corps; Lynnise Moore, Women's Army Corps; and Patricia Munoz, director of Adult Probation and chief of Juvenile Court.

"HHC, USAICoE had the privilege to host the 2016 Women's History Month Observance here and focused on honoring women in public service and government," said Tomlinson. "The record attendance for the observance highlights the commitment of the units and the community to gender equality both in the military and in the local community. The organization honored six women outside of Fort Huachuca for their service which sustained the bond between Fort Huachuca and the local community."