More Than a Woman a Woman Marine

Book excerpt: Inspiration of this book came to me while I was serving on Recruiting Duty in Shreveport, Louisiana. I discovered that there were not only myths about what male marines encounter in basic training but more myths about the women marines training. Most of what I heard was negative. Some of what I heard was that all women marines were masculine. None of them were heterosexual. I listened as some said that before meeting me that they believed that most of the women that joined the marines were unattractive. Also, incapable of landing a husband. I also heard that only women that did not want to accomplish much in life joined the marines. Most of those that I spoke with were thinking as I did before I joined. That women could not join the Marine Corps. That this branch of the armed services was dominated and designed only for men. My goal in writing this book is to share the fact that not only can women become marines but that it can also be a very rewarding experience. To also know that I understand, just like any occupation, everyone will not become a marine. If they could, we would not be such a recognized branch. For those that want a rewarding adventure, I feel that they should be a marine. The Marine Corps recruiting motto, The Few, the Proud, the Marines, shows that the important thing is the quality of the person, which is what is looked for and developed. Thats why many women that have celebrated successful careers in the Marine Corps can say proudly that they are more than women; they are women marines.