John Whitehead's Commentary
A Real American Hero Fights in Operation Iraqi Freedom
"I am convinced this is exactly where God wants me to be in this season. We are focused and ready for whatever we are called to do. Please tell all I am safe and well."
--Lt. Col. Martha McSally, writing from the front lines
These words are from a remarkable email I received several days ago from Lt. Col. Martha McSally, a decorated pilot with the U.S. Air Force who is now stationed in the Middle East as part of the fighting force carrying out Operation Iraqi Freedom.
On the eve of battle, with tensions high and the world waiting in breathless anticipation of President Bush's call to arms over Iraq, McSally was calm, focused, and secure in the knowledge that she is doing her duty to God and country. She is on familiar terrain: this patriotic American and evangelical Christian knows quite well what it means to fight for faith and freedom.
A woman who has never dodged a bullet, McSally is a testament to the enduring spirit of America--courageous, proud, steadfast, faithful, daring. She is also proof positive that in America, if you work hard enough and dare greatly, you can overcome any odds.
McSally has certainly endured her share of trials and tribulations, especially after she successfully challenged a military policy that required servicewomen stationed in Saudi Arabia to wear the Muslim abaya when they went off the base. The abaya, a black head-to-toe robe worn in certain Muslim cultures, is perceived as a sign of subordination to men.
She was roundly criticized and snubbed by many in the military for attempting to change a policy she saw as discriminatory and unjust. Yet even after being retaliated against and passed over for command, McSally asked to be sent back to the Middle East to fight alongside her fellow soldiers.
As the U.S. finds itself at the center of a storm of criticism and anti-American sentiment--even here at home, it is important that we remember and recognize some of the things and people that make us proud to be Americans. Recently named one of three Al Neuharth Free Spirit of the Year Honorees for 2002, Martha McSally certainly qualifies as someone who "has stirred our hearts and souls by demonstrating our human capacity to dream, dare and do."
As a woman in the military, she has dared greatly and fought to overcome a number of hurdles. In the process, she has accomplished a great deal for herself and her country. She overcame physical limitations to become one of the first seven women trained by the Air Force as a fighter pilot. During a 1995-1996 tour of duty in Kuwait, she became the first woman in American military history to fly a combat sortie in a fighter aircraft. She was promoted to the rank of Major, and then Lieutenant Colonel, four years ahead of her peers. This rare endorsement is given to only the most capable, competent, professional officers and only to those who are identified as future leaders in the Air Force.
But challenging the military's abaya dress policy may have been McSally's greatest struggle yet. A decorated officer who has flown more than 100 combat hours over Iraq and served as flight commander and trainer for combat pilots deployed to Kosovo and South Korea, the abaya policy seemed to contradict the very principles she and so many other brave Americans have been fighting for. That is, the right to express one's religious beliefs freely; the right to not be forced to adopt someone else's religious beliefs; the right to be treated equally; the right to not be subjected to gender discrimination.
For several years before first being assigned to Saudi Arabia in 2000, McSally had been trying to work within the system to have the dress policy for Saudi Arabia changed. Only after years of waiting for promised policy reviews that never took place did McSally turn to The Rutherford Institute for help in filing suit over the issue. The suit, filed against Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and the U.S. Department of Defense, charged that the military's dress policy violated McSally's constitutional rights to equal protection and the freedoms of religion and speech.
Working in conjunction with McSally and leaders on Capitol Hill, The Rutherford Institute sought to resolve the problem of the unconstitutional dress policy through judicial and legislative means. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives voted unanimously in favor of an amendment prohibiting the Department of Defense from requiring or even formally urging servicewomen stationed in Saudi Arabia to wear the abaya. And on Dec. 2, 2002, President George W. Bush signed the bill into law.
Lt. Col. Martha McSally is now back on the front lines in the Middle East, doing what she knows best--acting as an ambassador of the United States, a shining example of the best that America has to offer. Her patriotism, courage and willingness to stand by her convictions should be an inspiration to us all. As she responds to this new call to action, our thoughts and prayers are with her and the many thousands of America's sons and daughters who are putting their lives on the line for their country.
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute. He can be contacted at johnw@rutherford.org.
--Lt. Col. Martha McSally, writing from the front lines
These words are from a remarkable email I received several days ago from Lt. Col. Martha McSally, a decorated pilot with the U.S. Air Force who is now stationed in the Middle East as part of the fighting force carrying out Operation Iraqi Freedom.
On the eve of battle, with tensions high and the world waiting in breathless anticipation of President Bush's call to arms over Iraq, McSally was calm, focused, and secure in the knowledge that she is doing her duty to God and country. She is on familiar terrain: this patriotic American and evangelical Christian knows quite well what it means to fight for faith and freedom.
A woman who has never dodged a bullet, McSally is a testament to the enduring spirit of America--courageous, proud, steadfast, faithful, daring. She is also proof positive that in America, if you work hard enough and dare greatly, you can overcome any odds.
McSally has certainly endured her share of trials and tribulations, especially after she successfully challenged a military policy that required servicewomen stationed in Saudi Arabia to wear the Muslim abaya when they went off the base. The abaya, a black head-to-toe robe worn in certain Muslim cultures, is perceived as a sign of subordination to men.
She was roundly criticized and snubbed by many in the military for attempting to change a policy she saw as discriminatory and unjust. Yet even after being retaliated against and passed over for command, McSally asked to be sent back to the Middle East to fight alongside her fellow soldiers.
As the U.S. finds itself at the center of a storm of criticism and anti-American sentiment--even here at home, it is important that we remember and recognize some of the things and people that make us proud to be Americans. Recently named one of three Al Neuharth Free Spirit of the Year Honorees for 2002, Martha McSally certainly qualifies as someone who "has stirred our hearts and souls by demonstrating our human capacity to dream, dare and do."
As a woman in the military, she has dared greatly and fought to overcome a number of hurdles. In the process, she has accomplished a great deal for herself and her country. She overcame physical limitations to become one of the first seven women trained by the Air Force as a fighter pilot. During a 1995-1996 tour of duty in Kuwait, she became the first woman in American military history to fly a combat sortie in a fighter aircraft. She was promoted to the rank of Major, and then Lieutenant Colonel, four years ahead of her peers. This rare endorsement is given to only the most capable, competent, professional officers and only to those who are identified as future leaders in the Air Force.
But challenging the military's abaya dress policy may have been McSally's greatest struggle yet. A decorated officer who has flown more than 100 combat hours over Iraq and served as flight commander and trainer for combat pilots deployed to Kosovo and South Korea, the abaya policy seemed to contradict the very principles she and so many other brave Americans have been fighting for. That is, the right to express one's religious beliefs freely; the right to not be forced to adopt someone else's religious beliefs; the right to be treated equally; the right to not be subjected to gender discrimination.
For several years before first being assigned to Saudi Arabia in 2000, McSally had been trying to work within the system to have the dress policy for Saudi Arabia changed. Only after years of waiting for promised policy reviews that never took place did McSally turn to The Rutherford Institute for help in filing suit over the issue. The suit, filed against Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and the U.S. Department of Defense, charged that the military's dress policy violated McSally's constitutional rights to equal protection and the freedoms of religion and speech.
Working in conjunction with McSally and leaders on Capitol Hill, The Rutherford Institute sought to resolve the problem of the unconstitutional dress policy through judicial and legislative means. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives voted unanimously in favor of an amendment prohibiting the Department of Defense from requiring or even formally urging servicewomen stationed in Saudi Arabia to wear the abaya. And on Dec. 2, 2002, President George W. Bush signed the bill into law.
Lt. Col. Martha McSally is now back on the front lines in the Middle East, doing what she knows best--acting as an ambassador of the United States, a shining example of the best that America has to offer. Her patriotism, courage and willingness to stand by her convictions should be an inspiration to us all. As she responds to this new call to action, our thoughts and prayers are with her and the many thousands of America's sons and daughters who are putting their lives on the line for their country.
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute. He can be contacted at johnw@rutherford.org.
ABOUT JOHN W. WHITEHEAD
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute. His most recent books are the best-selling Battlefield America: The War on the American People, the award-winning A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State, and a debut dystopian fiction novel, The Erik Blair Diaries. Whitehead can be contacted at staff@rutherford.org. Nisha Whitehead is the Executive Director of The Rutherford Institute. Information about The Rutherford Institute is available at www.rutherford.org.
Publication Guidelines / Reprint Permission
John W. Whitehead’s weekly commentaries are available for publication to newspapers and web publications at no charge. Please contact staff@rutherford.org to obtain reprint permission.
