I Am Woman, Hear Me…Be a Woman

I said that I would write about some of the issues I face as a female working in Afghanistan.  What I didn’t expect was the experience I had today.  As at all FOBs, where I currently am there are many missions being carried out simultaneously – from the operational to those that round out the COIN strategy.  PRTs, DSTs, ADTs, and us wonderful ROL folks all have our role to play.  So many missions involve a combination of each unit’s objectives.  Today the platoon was taking me and MSgt R to meet with the judge/prosecutor/huquq in a district and then we would also visit two schools for some follow up work for the DST.  The ROL meetings were uneventful.  Ok, I did have my first Afghan dining experience.  Rice, bread (like naan), and some street meat.  I was politely passing on the street meat until LT said “ma’am, you have 5 seconds” and down it went.  We were going to mark 1330 on my forehead.  So far, so good.

Anyhow, back to the schools.  We arrived at the second school and suddenly I’m in demand even though this visit isn’t my bailiwick.  Then it clicks.  Girls attend this school and I’m the only female out today.  CAPT S told me I should take my helmet off so they could see I was a female.  What ensued I can only describe as my first celebrity experience.  We held our meeting with the school’s headmaster and a couple teachers in a room with windows and gaggles of elementary school aged girls gathered around staring at me and giving me a thumbs up (which I of course returned).  When we were finished, they asked me to say a few words to the girls.  I gave my best “stay in school…don’t do drugs” mini-speech, pointing out that there are women in the ANA and ANP and encouraging them to keep going to school.  And then I shook all of their hands, politician style.  BSS would be so proud.  Pictures may be forthcoming…