| try?
I believe the impact is tri-fold. The military and our nation take a direct
loss, the families of those killed suffer immensely, and the youth of our
nation are affected. Women have honorably, courageously, and voluntarily
served our country for decades. The history of women in the military shows
the determination and loyalty of women of the United States of America.
When a loss of a woman from one of the armed forces occurs, military persons
will state that they have lost a family member, a sister, if you will.
The tight bond formed between military women and men derives from their
love of their country and each other. The armed forces take a direct hit
when one of their women dies. The impact is immeasurable because the military
has lost an honorable, valuable, dedicated individual working to serve
our country. Our nation as a whole also suffers because we now have one
less woman operating to promote our freedom and the freedom of others.
The women lost while serving our country, are not merely numbers, but each
has a face, a personality, a history, a will, and a determination that
needs to remembered and celebrated. Although the loss is devastating, these
women, in one way or another, served their country and gave their lives
so that the citizens of our nation might have a better one. Therefore,
with this being said, it is apparent that the loss of one woman or one
hundred and one women directly impacts our nation and the armed forces.
As we all know, the families and loved ones of individuals lost while serving
our country are proudly impacted. The heroes that they call mom, sister,
aunt, cousin, wife, or friend are no more. The loss that these families
suffer is multidimensional. Their first loss is encountered during the
time the person is away serving. Time and memories go on, but the military
person is not able to share |
these
precious moments. Whether it is a birth, a graduation, a death, a first
smile, or a first laugh, they will miss out while the lives of those at
home continue to unfold. Thanks to modern day technologies, many of these
memories can be shared, but not in the same sense as being present to experience
it yourself.
The
next loss is the more apparent one; learning of the death of a loved one.
The sorrow felt must be immense, and then there are the torturous questions
that follow. What happened? Did the person suffer? Did my loved one die
alone or was someone there to hold his or her hand? Many times these questions
go unanswered, and the families must learn to work through their feelings
and fears. One of the most difficult losses a family faces is when the
body is not found or is unable to be returned home. They must work with
their hearts, minds, and faith to find closure, but there must always be
the glimpse of hope in their hearts that there was a mistake and their
loved one is still alive somewhere. The final loss occurs when the realization
of what could have been, will be no longer. The hopes and dreams that won’t
be fulfilled, the marriages that won’t be had, the babies that won’t be
born, the love that won’t be found, and the families and friendships that
won’t be formed or continued. The silver lining to the loss is the enormous
amount of respect families has for the person they have lost. The pride
shown for the deceased displays the integrity of the American people and
their love for their country. In contrast to the negative impact that the
loss of life of military women has on our country, the positive side is
that these women are heroes. Although we may not know what there faces
looked like or how their smile could light up a room, these women serve
as role models to the youth of our nation. These women are inspiration
and hope to girls in America and all over the |
world.
The strength and perseverance of these fallen women open the door of possibility
to all females. Girls are able to look to these women for direction when
choosing their path in life. The accomplishments that the military women
have achieved, allow girls from any background to believe in their hopes
and dreams. Women in the military have served as nurses, doctors, pilots,
sailors, machine operators, combat fighters, etc. Girls can be inspired
by these women to be anything that they want to be. The discipline, integrity,
and dedication of women in the military are attributes that future generations
of our country can strive to mirror. The example that military women set
may encourage girls and young women to join one of the armed forces, or
maybe just help them to be better individuals and make the right choices
in life. Whatever the impact fallen women have on our youth, it is sure
to positively influence them. The deaths of military women have a great
impact on America as a whole. When tragedy strikes, not only do family
and friends suffer, but our nation and armed forces suffer, too. Behind
all of the darkness, though, there is a glimpse of light because these
women will serve as role models for future generations to follow. The opportunities
for young women are endless and promising, because as military women have
proven, amazing women can do amazing things.
References:
Alliance
for National Defense –
News
of Interest (2000) Women Dead
and
Injured in Attack on USS Cole {Online}
Available:
http://www.all4national
defense.org/cole/html
Wilson,
Captain Barbara A. (1996)
Military
Women Veterans: Yesterday,
Today,
and Tomorrow. {On-line}. Available:
http://userpages.aug.com/
captbarb. |
