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One VET voice
I'd like to share the part of my military experience that has contributed to my journey of empowerment and advocacy. I'm a United States Marine Corps Veteran. I was in from 1982-1986, I worked in Aviation Ordnance, I received a Good Conduct Medal and an Honorable Discharge... I was proud to be "One of the Few", a Woman Marine. I joined in 1982 when it was the "good old boys" club, back when men not only thought that women didn't belong in the Marines, but they certainly had no business loading weapons on jets! From day one, I was up against men who felt that women were only there to "fill a quota". I was in when the question "Have you ever engaged in homosexual activity or conduct?" was asked on the application. I was informed that if it was determined that I had lied on my application by answering "no" and was found guilty of perjury I would be "thrown in the brig and dishonorably discharged". If a woman refused a man's advances or didn't fit into the male ideal of what women should be, it was popular to be labeled a "dyke" and to be made the focus of what amounted to a modern day "witch hunt" intended to locate and remove people suspected of being gay. What I witnessed and was subjected to in the military was nothing short of Institutionalized Discrimination... From the moment I arrived at my duty station, I endured sexual harassment, unwanted sexual advances and even sexual assault... I never told anyone out of fear that I would "call attention" to myself. Recently when I decided to talk about this, friends asked "To what end; who would it be benefiting?". I enlisted nearly 30 years ago, and I still feel shame over those 4 years; I am not the only one. I know it's not a comfortable topic to hear about, but I'm not interested in making people feel comfortable, only more sensitive. I want people to become more aware of the lasting effects of their words and actions. I'm not proud to admit that I used to be one of the ones who would hear people make fun of others, and although I hated it, I didn't have the courage to stand up for them. When I saw this reading a few weeks ago I knew that I had to speak up.
First they came for the Socialists,
and I did not speak because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists,
and I did not speak because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I did not speak because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.
Pastor Martin Niemoller (1892-1984):
-Martin Niemoller was a German Protestant Minister, an early supporter of the Nazis who eventually led the church's opposition to Hitler.
-Trina Parker (V.E.T.)
First they came for the Socialists,
and I did not speak because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists,
and I did not speak because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I did not speak because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.
Pastor Martin Niemoller (1892-1984):
-Martin Niemoller was a German Protestant Minister, an early supporter of the Nazis who eventually led the church's opposition to Hitler.
-Trina Parker (V.E.T.)
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