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Military Women are Proud to Serve!
By Mona P. Ternus, PhD, RN, Lt Col, USAFR
>> Mona Ternus' Bio
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In doing research with military women who are also mothers with families, it is apparent that there is a deep dedication, commitment and willingness to serve. Service is serving their country, their friends, their families, and especially their ideals of freedom and peace. Women are the family managers; balancing running a family with working in a job that demands a global presence and frequent absences. Families and especially children are well aware of the dangers that their mothers are in through the popular media. However, despite the danger and the need to periodically leave home in order to serve, military women consistently take pride and are deeply committed to their work. In the words of one of the women who I surveyed:
I understand about my children's fear of their mother dying. Chances are their peers cannot relate to this, as most children don't have parents whose main job is military during a time of war. However, I did validate my daughter's feelings and let her know that it must be very scary, but that I made the choice (military) that I did because it was the best decision for me and the best for them (due to benefits, health/dental care for kids, etc.) and for the preservation of women around the world. I was fighting for freedom of all people, especially girls of dictators whose lives are still not considered as valuable as a man's. Of course—and most of all—to protect the freedom of this country—to ensure their freedoms are protected. At the very least, I told her who else's Mom could say they'd die for their kids and mean it.
>> Mona
Ternus Bio
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