July 31,
2006
Pink sneakers
By Kelly Fischer ’08
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| Kelly Fischer '08 spent two and a half weeks this summer on board the USS Abraham Lincoln off the coast of Japan participating in an annual program for all midshipmen from ROTC programs around the country. The hands-on experience provides a glimpse into enlisted life. |
eft. Left. Left, right. Left. I run in step with the rest of the University's NROTC midshipmen as part of our usual Tuesday/Thursday physical training. I lift up my foot to take my next stride and in the early morning sunlight notice a flash of neon pink. The sneakers I'm wearing are a not-so-subtle reminder that I am in fact a female. Believe it or not, it's easy to forget that fact when you're flanked on all sides by tough and determined guys.
Thirty-five years ago, there were no pink sneakers in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps. In fact, it was 1972 before women were allowed to enroll, and even then women had limited opportunities after commissioning. We were not allowed to fly planes, serve on a ship, or perform special operations. In fact, women could only serve in administrative or nursing positions, and, as hard as it is to believe, could be discharged for becoming pregnant.
Things have changed. Today, women have gained admittance to nearly every facet of the military, yet we still fight gender barriers as we try to prove to ourselves and others that we are as capable and competent as the men who train alongside us.
It's a challenge that's not only mental but physical, too. Women are evaluated differently from men in terms of physical fitness. Physiologically, it makes sense. Some may equate the physical differences with weakness or incompetence, but for female midshipmen it's simply added motivation.
"We PT at a male's pace," says Sarah Lynch '07 in reference to the physical training required of all midshipmen. "If you fall out of a run, you're considered a bad runner, male or female. For most females, that means working twice as hard to keep up."
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| Kelly Fischer (left) trains for the physical requirements of being a midshipman. |
But we aren't just keeping up, we're leading. Male and female midshipmen compete for leadership positions throughout the battalion. In a single semester, women held the three highest-ranking positions available to midshipmen, and we've also held top leadership positions in many of the battalion's clubs, including Quarterdeck Society and Sea Cadets.
Yet, I'll admit, it can be tricky to strike a balance between my identity as a female college student, who, on occasion, likes to wear pearl earrings and skirts, and my identity as a midshipman. Fellow students and professors often ask what has motivated me to take on this challenge. I guess it comes down to wanting to be part of an organization that allows me to get real leadership experience, an organization that values hard work and responsibility. I interact every day with determined and motivated people. These people are the reason I love what I do, even if what I do means being just one of the guys every once in a while.
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