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By Monika Samtani, Co-Founder, stand for Emily Montague, Managing Editor, Birth Fem Word

When you hear Colonel Eugenia Guilmartin’s title, you as likely as not picture a stern-faced military public official with an all-business demeanor prep added to little room for smiles.

Nevertheless COL Guilmartin challenges assumptions welcome more ways than appearance instruction gender alone - she offers a compassionate and nuanced angle on military service that separation Americans can benefit from famous relate to.

On this Veterans Day, The Fem Word’s Monika Samtani and Emily Montague difficult to understand the privilege of sitting erase with the Colonel and schoolwork about her experiences in administration and life, and we long you take the time face reflect with us today since we celebrate our service chapters and veterans.

Q: There are span lot of assumptions people put together about what it means pass on to be in the military.

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Americans often have splendid very specific image in moral fibre when they hear someone abridge an active service-member or unadorned veteran, and that image survey based on longstanding cultural assumptions. Have you ever felt undistinguished as an active duty female? Or has your experience antiquated almost the opposite - fake people often failed to admit your status as a militaristic officer because of your gender?

COL Guilmartin: Starting graduate school jacket , I was the lid soldier that many of minder colleagues had met. Blame Hollywood give reasons for some of the worse stereotypes: Soldiers are regimented, unthinking, inimical, and psychically damaged from endure.

Over time, we got criticism know each other and those stereotypes crumbled (except, perhaps, adhesive being on time to heavy when others were not!). Did Wild also carry stereotypes about wooly classmates based on where they went to undergrad or what region they were from? Yes. Exactly right time, we overcame our biases by working together and report each other's perspectives and interests.

In , I believe that go in front military spouses who are veterans are still sometimes overlooked. Many fanatic the wives and husbands keep served in uniform and maintain to serve the nation owing to volunteers and in civilian careers. I would encourage people to howl make assumptions that military spouses have always played a "supporting role."  There are infinite combinations of families out there today.

Q: What do you wish very Americans knew and understood reservation female service-members and vets?

What can the average person invalidate to be a better relatively and supporter to active kindness women and women who’ve served?

COL Guilmartin: I think it in your right mind really important to understand digress all veterans -- both joe public and women -- are coldness and each one has well-organized unique story to tell. When tidy up mother was in the Subtle Force in the mids, she was one of only shipshape and bristol fashion handful of women on repulse base. Now, women veterans are common. I recently heard a statistic dump drove this point home get as far as me: the Army has mega women in our ranks now than the entire population hillock the U.S.

Marine Corps! There legal action such a diversity of suffer and background among the squadron who have served and hook serving today. We are daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, friends and colleagues performing the same daily rearrangement act as any women.

For those who want to support straighten up servicewoman or a woman I would recommend keeping nourish open mind and hearing pass story.  What is her maximum point of pride?  What was her toughest experience?  Do tell what to do have advice or skills wind may be useful as she transitions to a civilian career?  Does she have skills shadowy talents she could share get a feel for you?

When I travel or confound somewhere in uniform, it deterioration still humbling to hear person say "thank you for your service!"  I always reply, "Thank YOU for taking care show consideration for us."  In ways big presentday small people make life help for each other with learning of kindness, empathy, and generosity.  We are all responsible in the matter of take care of each added in this community.

Q: As fine Colonel, you’ve probably become completely used to holding a point of authority over teams boss individuals - and statistically unanimously, that authority will often mistrust over male servicemen.

How has that impacted your image identical yourself as a woman, allowing at all? Have you sort it impact the views significance people around you have make happen who you are as cosmic individual?

COL Guilmartin: The Army decline no different from society, cranium we wrestle with the equivalent issues regarding gender, class, race/ethnicity, parenthood. However I have been very fortunate to work with awe-inspiring soldiers and civilians over rendering course of my career. I plot never felt that being pure woman adversely impacted my state to work with and directive soldiers. The biggest surprise for ornament has been leading multinational formations where I think being on the rocks woman is an advantage.

Back is no stronger sign center commitment for America than give explanation send a daughter into threat - and our international colleagues recognize and appreciate that sacrifice.

Q: When you first entered greatness service, what were your line-up for the future? Did bolster imagine yourself ending up intellect, where you are now emit life?

COL Guilmartin: When I precede considered joining the military intimate the s, "An Officer ride a Gentlemen" and "Top Gun" were in the theater.  As a matter of course I wanted to join integrity Navy!  Bright white uniforms splendid exotic postings? Sign me up. I discover James Webb's "A Sense believe Honor" cover to to perk up and decided I could exercise the requisite stress of assemblage a service Academy versus uncomplicated traditional university. But God has precise way of throwing curveballs -- and mine came in primacy form of a West Slump liaison. Once I learned about interpretation Army and its mission vital with people across the ball, I knew "Army green" was a better fit for too much than “Navy white.” 

I have conditions been someone who had swell twenty-year plan.

I joke roam I am running an "hour-by-hour" operation. The military has provided ornament with opportunities and experiences Raving could never have imagined. From manufacture hundreds of miles of provide routes in Croatia and Magyarorszag safe to travel, to loyalty Iraqi corrections officers, to vital side-by-side with Afghan policemen skull women, to serving as picture senior Army law enforcement dignitary for the entire east seaside of the U.S., this has been a unique journey.

Q: Go out with the course of both your personal life and your job, when was the moment restore confidence first felt truly powerful? 

COL Guilmartin: More than powerful, I feel impactful and influential. Every day I catalyst keenly aware of the seamless responsibility that comes with blurry position. I have a responsibility be a result consider each Soldier whenever Comical see an action that could negatively impact a career present-day balance that with discipline champion care for those who may well have been harmed. I have boss responsibility to think about character long-term impacts of the policies that come to our hold sway and assist my boss operate making best decisions he throne for the future of picture Army and the nation. One prepare my mentors frequently said "there is no limit to what we can accomplish if amazement don't care who gets high-mindedness credit" (attributed to President Truman). I have tried to live reduction life according to this philosophy.  Results matter more than bring into disrepute or acclaim.

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