Alice Vol. 3 No. 2

American culture is saturated with
underdog stories. Classic tales and
epic films depict legendary quests in
which the unfavored character overcomes
the odds that the world has
stacked against them. Obstacle after
obstacle presents itself, convincing audiences
that there is simply no way that
the unlikely hero can manage to prevail.
Nevertheless, just when all hope seems
lost, something shifts. Every plot element
lines up just right, and once again
the viewers find themselves captivated
as the new champion rises. At this point,
the script practically writes itself. There
is just something within human nature
that roots for the one that everyone else
underestimates. Perhaps America sings
the song of the unsung hero because she
herself is one of them, a nation whose
glory has been maintained through the
aid of some fellow scrappy underdogs
who chose to make their own history
when everyone else told them that
it would probably be better if they just
stayed home.
The year 2018 marks the 70th anniversary
of President Harry S. Truman’s
signing of the Women’s Armed Service
Integration Act following the stellar performance
of military women in World
War II. For the first time, the female
presence in the U.S. military was federally
integrated and secured. But even before
the lyrics of The Star Spangled Banner
were scripted or the stars and stripes
of the flag itself were stitched, women
have played a significant role in the nation’s
war efforts.
According to the U.S. Army historical
database, this role spans all the way
back to the Revolutionary War. While
many women volunteered to serve as
nurses, seamstresses and cooks, others
braved the frontlines. Margaret Corbin
traded in more traditional roles to combat
the British-Hessian attack on Fort
Washington alongside her husband in
November of 1776. When he was tragically
killed, Corbin left her station manning
the cannon ammunition to fill his
position on the artillery firing squad.
She was wounded in battle and went on
to receive the pension that her husband
would have earned for his service. The
Continental Congress honored her as the
first servicewoman in the Army.
What a woman.
From working undercover as spies
during the Civil War to braving the necessary
steps to achieve the official integration
of women into the U.S. Army
in the late 1970s, females have proved
themselves, against all odds, a force to be
reckoned with. This force lead to monumental
societal change. Army records
credit the more than 25,000 women
serving in the World War I Army Nurse
Corps and other positions overseas for
their influence to “propel the passage of
the 19th Amendment” that extended the
right to vote to women. These displays
of true grit and patriotism replay themselves
over and over again in the context
of each American war. Yet it wasn’t until
2013, only five years ago, when Secretary
of Defense Leon Panetta declared an end
to the direct ground combat exclusion
rule that finally opened up all combat
positions to women:
“Over the last decade of war, women
have proven themselves to be critical to
our success in theater. This change will
give the Army access to the untapped
potential that our women warriors have
to offer…” Panetta said in a directive
lifting the ban on women in front-line
combat roles.
The bill’s recognition of women’s
excellent service through the limited
timeline of “the last decade” is quite
the understatement. However, the offi-
64 Alice Spring 2018