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BY MARSHA FOUR
I humbly give voice to over a quarter million of my sisters
who served in the military during the Vietnam Era—at
home, around the globe, and in Vietnam. No matter where
we were sent, all of us were invaluable ingredients contributing
to the American military effort worldwide. And it depended
on us. Admittedly or not, you know it always has.
Vietnam:
Over eight thousand of us were there. Most of us were nurses,
working in Field, Evac, and Surgical Hospitals from the
Delta to the DMZ. But nearly a thousand of us weren’t
nurses. Not to be forgotten, we were specialized, dependable,
and capable troops, working in a variety of fields, including
logistics, administration, security, and intelligence. Our
military roles were expanding. We were teetering on the edge
of major change. We could feel it, and we could taste it.
We served at a time when our nation faced formidable challenges,
upheavals, and unrest fueled in part by our Vietnam involvement
and the antiwar turmoil that were painfully dividing the
nation. Factor into this the human and civil rights movements.
And let’s not forget women’s rights.
We were shaped
by this period in history. This was our time to take center
stage.
Driven by a cultural revolution and the changing social climate,
many of us found ourselves, both inside the military and
as veterans, working hard to advance fair and just treatment,
care, benefits, and equity for our sisters. Just as we had
traveled to this point because of so many who came before
us, we were poignantly aware of our responsibility to contribute
to that forward march begun so long ago in Revolutionary
times. We proved we were up to the task, a force to be reckoned
with. And we still are. And we ain’t done yet.
Due to
the efforts of Gen. Wilma Vaught and others of our ranks,
women have much more equality and respect. These efforts
helped to pave the way for thousands of other military women
to be judged on their abilities, not on their gender.
We had found our way into the footprints of all those women
who had preceded us, taking our place in history, marking
our legacy, and opening the future for generations of women
to come.
As we begin to move slowly into the past, we hold
faith knowing that many of you, as our future, will continue
to step up to the challenges that remain, embracing your
legacy, finding your place in history, and inspiring others.
We knew you were coming.
As the poet Maya Angelou wrote: “We are
living art, created to hang on, stand up, forbear, continue,
and encourage others.”
Marsha Four, the chair of VVA’s Women
Veterans Committee, delivered these remarks on November 3
during ceremonies commemorating the tenth anniversary of
the dedication of the Women in Military Service for America
Memorial, located at Arlington National Cemetery.
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2011, Vietnam Veterans of America. All Rights Reserved. 8719 Colesville Road, Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910