I'm A Soldier of WAR.

I'm a Specialist in the Army. I make tanks hit their target with percision. I emphasize presision because I'm a woman. One of two women who had to fight to get an all-male company to fire the first tanks me and my female partner worked on. Did I say we were assigned to an ALL-MALE company. Thousands of men. We went out in the woods every other month to practice war games where accuracy was the ultimate goal and confidence in equiptment and manpower. I had something to prove and prove I did. Target hit dead center! Now, we were flooded with requests for the service only two women soldiers could provide for a country. Yes, Germany.

That was my first inroduction to the Army 30 years or so ago. I'ved aged. But the memories of military life lingers.

The flight to Saudi Arabia for the First Gulf War was filled with uncertainty buy soldiers who never thought they would see war. And to say America was woefully unprepared for war is an understatement. They had not outfitted a large force such as the one deployed during the First Gulf War in decades. Thing dry rot you know. Soldiers had inadequate gear and they knew it also. 

The overseas flight of armed military personnel, with everything needed for their survival if needed strapped to their backs, was a quiet flight of contemplation. For me, my main goal of my journey was never to sit or stand next to a person who I believed to be a weak link. My survival was on my mind. You could tell it was on other people's minds as the weak links were searching out the strongest to CLING to. Not me though. Yes, I was my brother's keeper, but let's start with something I can work with please. A warm up person until I get the flow too. No, I was not one of the weak links. I trained every other month for this for 3 years.

It's wild waiting to fight and kill. You think about it. CAN I KILL? I HAVE NO OPTION NOW. Its difficult to not do anything in war except kill when your life expectancy rate (lowest for Army) is given to you and if your are captured as a woman, expect to be raped often and by several. There were rumors of a draft floating around. I can only imagine civilian's terror as those trained and equipted were not feeling confidence in their abilities, imagine how people with no training would feel. It's all a sad business.

Dropped off in the desert with the only detail being is that you are 20 miles from the active bombing (front line) where we were already setup gives a sense of not being grounded. Information was being despensed on a need to know bases and I was sure there was more I needed to know. the night sky echoed shadows of orange, gold and white from nearby targets being hit. It was a terrifying yet beautiful sight against the blackness of the desert with no man made horizon. I blank canvas of fiery light/

Those who had already been there for months, trying to find ways to get discharged, dishonorably if necessary, was playing out daily. People desparate not to face WAR no longer cared or had shame about their reputation. They only cared about getting home, which took you being on the verge of death to be released of your fear of war. I must even say, women resorted to getting pregnant. The Army caught on and made the women stay past a preganancy termination perion, then discharge them. The Red Cross stepped in several time with "no's" about some practices the Army employed and they stopped this way of curbing discharges during war. Then there were those ready to get this OVER with so they can leave the Spring desert with daily temps of 116. No one was wishing for Summer. Then there were those with grudges eager for revenge. Their first shot would be FRIENDLY FIRE and the higher ups in rank knew there was a target on their back. They were mission oriented with many missions on their mind.

There were the VOLUNTEERS for a sensitive mission who signed up and waited to be called for the assignment. This one was refueling the FRONT lines. These men were the most eager for the war to be over. These were MY guys. They played volleyball hard and laughed hard. They would have drank hard if liquer was allowed in the country. Military can always sniff out a drink wherever it is. But is was nowhere. Finally, one night in the early hours of day taking over night, they got the call. Everyone knew, it (war) had started on the ground. The guy next to me on his cot, smiled before he left and I hoped his family and I would see his smile again.

It was a SHORT war. I didn't fire a shot even the one time I should have and I'm praise myself that I didn't and also berate myself for not shootoing. The memories of war are LONG. Seeing someone's gas mask in a bunker with GAS sirens blasting fail, was traumatic for everyone watching him lower his head knowing if this one is real, he would die before our eyes. Memories are LONG.

The Army is singularly the proudest part of my life after MOTHER. Soldier, wearing uniform saying I will FIGHT for my country's freedom and even injustice that threatens our allies form a brotherhood of spirit forever. That feeling is beyond description. I once put on my country's uniform, boarded a flight to DEFEND democracy. My military life wasn't easy and there was SEXISM on a level no human should have to endure. But, I was also PROTECTED by my country. My country said if she is willing to volunteer to give her life in defense of her country, passes academic AND physical tests, then she can. And I DID. Now it is seen as trying to be a MAN! What?

To see Black people as well as women being mistreated by Pete Hegseth is unbearable. My country deserves MORE. If a woman can survive the NEAR DEATH experience of CHILDBIRTH, then she can be a darn good SOLDIER. Hours of hard painful labor is more THAN any man can endure thank you. Now we are delicate flowers. Really? Or too dumb for any good, but we raise your children with your trust and many times without your help. Dumb people raise DUMB people. Don't be so NEGATIVE about yourself Pete. 

He is building a military for White people and their concerns. Women are being told don't concern yourself with men's business. This cancellation of promotions of Black people and women in a county's patriotic activity is saying, "THIS ISN'T YOUR COUNTRY TO BE CONCERNED WITH." Racists feel good about this. It is erasure. This is the STRONGEST warning shot letting everyone know who this country belongs to.

I started by saying, "I'm a soldier." That will always be true for anyone who ever put on a military uniform. It can't be TAKEN or DENIED. Hegseth should feel and know this. America is in my blood and I'll always defender her in my way. I'M A SOLDIER OF WAR against any enemy of AMERICA either FOREIGN or DOMESTIC. I've EARNED it! I raised my hand and SWORE a life-lonf oath to my country. Violence isn't the answer. THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD. 

As a reminder, There are approximately 350,000 to 400,000 Black and African American active-duty and select reserve members serving in the United States military. Black Americans make up about 20% of the total active-duty force, maintaining a high level of representation across the branches. The Trump administration has an out-and-out attack on Black America. If the largest group of military enlistees left the military, our national defense and readiness would be hurt. Racists don't care. As Mohamad Ali said, "Why defend a country that does,'t defend you." I'm encouraging Black military to leave. The slap in the face of NO PROMOTIONS is horrendous. How can any Black person fight for that?

Over 227,000 women serve on active duty in the U.S. military, making up approximately 17.9% of the total active-duty force. If you count the National Guard and Reserves, that number swells to over 400,000 women. The breakdown of female representation varies by branch: Air Force: 21.7%, Navy: 21.1%, Space Force: 19.1%, Army: 16.0%, and  Marine Corps: 10.0%. Historically, women have also expanded into leadership and combat roles, making up roughly 20% of all commissioned military officers. What if they say they are tired of this harrassment and sexism? Can the military afford to lose their numbers along with Blacks? 

Sooner or later, these people in uniform have to make a decision. They are given illegal orders and thrown under the bus when the public reacts. They are shark food basically in the destruction of the military. That is the IMPORTANCE of minorities and women in the military for the Trump administration.

An estimated 48,000 to 80,000 active-duty and reserve service members in the United States military identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. This represents roughly 2.2% to 6.1% of the total U.S. armed forces personnel, with a significantly higher representation among female service members. Minority groups represent approximately 31.2% of the active-duty U.S. military, equating to roughly 407,000 service members. Breaking this down, about 18.4% of active-duty troops self-identify as Hispanic or Latino, while over 20% identify specifically as Black or African American. SEE my POINT? All the HATED people ARE America's military. Add those totals together of Blacks , minorities, women, and gay people and its massive. ALL should LEAVE the military UNTIL they are treated with respect and admiration for their protection and service to America. Let Hegseth for the military with that group since it's THEIR America. I will keep saying this until PEOPLE wake up and QUIT helping people to DESTROY you/us.