“Not Less a Mother”: Military Motherhood, 1953 and 2015

🙂 All inspired by a single photo I took a few days ago!

Historical Thinks

The woman who leaves her children to work for them, the woman who makes herself available for civil defense, the woman who serves in a governmental position of responsibility, as well as the woman who participates in Reserve activity, is not less a mother for having done so. – Major Alba Martinelli Thompson, 1953 (1)

Today, CNN published a powerful image: a group of soldiers in uniform, breastfeeding their children. In the midst of a year when women continue to make history for breaking barriers in the armed forces, one of the things that is powerful about this image is that it simultaneously underscores the ability of women to be both soldiers and mothers. This dual identity has long been contested; it wasn’t until the 1970s that mothers could remain in the service at all after having children.

In the 1940s, as Congress debated the Women’s Armed Services…

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Finding myself

I’m 34 years old. I never thought about getting older. But today, Memorial Day, I reflect on the last 16 years of my life. Almost 16 years ago I joined the United States Air Force and wow, hasn’t my life been a trip! Over the last few weeks, I have found more and more opportunities where “find yourself” has come up in conversation.  One would think that at 34, you would know yourself, inside and out. But what if you don’t ….

I did my 4 years in the military and then proceeded to move on … find something else … it just wasn’t for me. And now … 16 years later, I find myself completely emerged in the military life. From Generals, to Memorials, to Freedom Crossing and the many families that come through … to Operation Love Re-united, Operation Home Front and Homes for our Troops … I’ve served more as a volunteer and a photographer than I ever did active duty.  Today I attended a ceremony honoring those military that have served … those that came home … and those that did not. What a moving ceremony!

But sitting today and talking to a very dear and new friend of mine, I could honestly say I looked him in the eye and told him I didn’t know what my purpose was …. that I felt like everything I have been doing up to this point is just getting me ready for something else …

I have had the opportunity to spend a decent amount of time with Native America veterans …. and the things that I am learning are life changing. The beliefs, the traditions, the feeling of family and God and purpose are stronger for me in that environment and in that setting than I have ever felt before. So I will hold them close to my heart, dear to me … and soak up everything like a dry sponge. I hope that this is the beginning of me finding myself….