Verified by 
I recently wrote about Vietnam veteran sisters coming together. From a more holistic perspective I have noticed generations of women in war drifting apart, because each generation forgets the impact of the prior generations of women in war.
USA Today highlighted how combat policies have changed and the new ‘strength’ and confidence that the current generation of military woman possess. I applaud the government for finally recognizing the sacrifices of so many women and admire these women who have stepped up to the call.
Just as the male veterans of the Vietnam War considered themselves forgotten, so did the women. At that time, laws, regulations, and even cultural norms limited military roles for the women and added to the sense of being overlooked. These restrictions allowed many civilian women to serve their country only in ‘support’ and ‘close military support’ roles. After the dedication of the Vietnam Memorial many women felt their time had come to be recognized. Joining together they created the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Project (VWMP) to remember the many roles of the women who had served in that war. People thought it was a wonderful unique way to recognize the many women who had served. However, it was not the first recognition of women in war.
While researching women’s Civil War diaries and narratives I noticed there was a generational gap. In the New York Times 1912 a national memorial was proposed and built to remember and honor the women of the Civil War. Although this included a limited number of governmental ’Dix’ Nurses, it primarily was devoted to the many civilian women who served as ‘nurses’ and ‘caregivers’. The location of the memorial was to be the Headquarters of The American Red Cross in Washington. Much to my surprise, and other sisters I shared the information with, our generation had forgotten the past generation.
As a result, I can’t help but wonder if the future generations of military women will consider the past generations of women and even forget the national memorials built to honor them?
Bloor, A. J., Women in the War, (Oct 18, 1913), New York Times, p. 12.
What was next for the women in combat? USA Today (Jan. 28, 2013), courier-journal.
Plan War Memorial to Northern Women, (May 9, 1912), New York Times, p. 9.
To Honor Civil War Women, (July 14, 1912), New York Times, p. 10.
