“We wanted to take some time to recognize and honor a very important time of the year, Women’s Equality Day,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Jon Otero, the Leader Training Brigade’s senior enlisted leader in a recorded message released, Aug. 26.
He was joined by Col. Kenneth Dwyer, LTB commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Joshua Bitle, commandant of the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy in “united front” to recognize the day.
On this day “we want to honor the accomplishments of women across the world, both past and present,” Bitle said. The day wouldn’t have been possible if it hadn’t been for the generation who fought “to achieve equality for all women.”
Women’s Equality Day is celebrated every Aug. 26 to celebrate the 19th Amendment of the Constitution, which gave women the right to vote. That fight continued until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 when protections for historically excluded groups were codified.
The day was established by Congress in 1973.
President Joe Biden wrote on Women’s Equality Day, “we recognize the courage of generations of visionaries who fought tirelessly for the sacred cause of women’s suffrage and all those who continue to work toward a more equitable future for women and girls in America.”
Some Soldiers in the LTB shared what the day means to them.
“As a woman in the military it’s important to see other women achieving and accomplishing things within our ranks to keep us motivated,” said Staff Sgt. Jazmine Yussef. “I think one of those I admire is Master Sgt. (Janina) Simmons that is the first biracial female who has accomplished Ranger School. She’s also headed to the Sergeants Major Academy only being in 13 years in the Army. I think she can be the first female Sergeant Major of the Army.”
For Staff Sgt. Chelsea Samatra, the day “simply means celebrating all women across the globe for their achievements, the hurdles they had to overcome … it also showcases the progress that we’ve had for the past years when it comes to women’s discrimination.
“But it also reminds us that there is still work to be done in order to improve women’s equality.”
The Department of Defense, the Army and Fort Jackson are focused on advancing women’s equality.
“The United States military continues to offer opportunities for all Americans to not only advance their own lives but to the defense of our country and the preservation of freed around the world,” Dwyer said.
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