Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Marisa Gianvecchio
NATION: Italy
Age: 35
Rank: Ltjg Doctor (the Doctor of Italian Navy Ship ETNA)
What made you want to join the military?
I wanted to challenge myself and live new experiences.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing women in the military today?
To hold a prestigious office.
What one thing would you not have had the chance to do if you had not joined the armed forces?
I would not have had the opportunity to be a member of a crew and to feel the pride of being part of a team, travelling all around the world, visiting new places, and living new experiences shared with other people.
What one thing would you change for women in the military?
The ships don’t have suitable facilities for the requirements of women, so from a medical opinion, I would ask to review the projects of the structures dedicated to women.
If you could have ultimate power over the armed forces for one day, what would you do with it?
I’m a doctor and so I would buy new instruments for enhancing capabilities of clinical diagnosis.
Living in such close quarters to men for long periods of time, how hard is it to stick to the ‘No Fraternising’ rule?
I don’t have that kind of problem because of my particular profession as a doctor, I have to establish a confident and trusting relationship with my patients.
Do civilian men treat you any differently when they find out you are in the military forces?
Yes, they have more respect for my choice.
How does your family feel about you being away so much?
They are proud of me, even if they are always a little afraid about the risks related to my job in the new international political climate.
If not the military, then what?
I would have continued to practice medicine at the university and in voluntary associations like Italian Red Cross.
Amy Foroozandeh
NATION: UK
Age: 20
Rank: OM(C) (Communications)
What made you want to join the military?
To see the world, an alternative to college for an adventure!
As a woman, do you feel you have to work twice as hard to prove yourself?
Sometimes, as long as we keep proving we are capable of the same work, etc. we will carry on gaining respect and be treated equal.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing women in the military today?
Most probably for the female officers to get promoted to higher ranks.
What one thing would you not have had the chance to do if you had not joined the armed forces?
Go to sea on a warship. Enter war zones. Fire a rifle.
Are there any benefits to being a woman in the military?
We are well respected by civilians and we get to show our achievements through the news, events, ceremonies.
What one thing would you change for women in the military?
Easier promotions, higher pay.
Living in such close quarters to men for long periods of time, how hard is it to stick to the ‘No Fraternising’ rule?
Yes it is very hard. You get used to living in such close conditions with men and to keep work and social relationships separate.
Do civilian men treat you any differently when they find out you are in the military forces?
Yes, I think so. They seem to feel threatened and find it masculine.
How does your family feel about you being away so much?
Happy I am gaining experience not many 20-year-olds have.
If not the military, then what?
The police force, or the merchant navy, cruise ships.
Anita Caricato
NATION: Italy
Rank: Ltjg (Supply and logistic Officer of Italian Navy Ship ETNA)
What made you want to join the military?
I liked the thought of doing something very useful for my country and for my own personal achievement; this job gives me a lot of satisfactions and the possibility to travel.
As a woman, do you feel you have to work twice as hard to prove yourself?
At the beginning it was quite hard, but after a while I realised I just work as much as my male colleagues.
What to you think is the biggest challenge facing women in the military today?
Despite my young age, I think that it could be difficult to simultaneously be a good officer and a good mother but, up to now, there are more and more women that succeed in reconciling the two.
What one thing would you not have had the chance to do if you had not joined the armed forces?
I would never have commanded a platoon, I would never have overcome the fear of the void and I would never have visited Iceland.
What one thing would you change for women in the military?
I would change some parts of the female uniform.
Living in such close quarters to men for long periods of time, how hard is it to stick to the ‘No Fraternising’ rule?
I have never had a problem with it; I succeed in maintaining a professional relationship with my colleagues.
Do civilian men treat you any differently when they find out you are in the military forces?
Usually it is not a problem, but it could maybe be a problem for psychologically inadequate men.
If not the military, then what?
I would probably have become a lawyer, considering the fact that I studied jurisprudence before joining the Navy.
Kate F Higgins
NATION: USA
Age: 28
Rank: LT/O-3 (Lieutenant, United States Coast Guard. Commanding Officer, USCGC BARANOF)
What made you want to join the military?
I was looking for a challenge and an education.
As a woman, do you feel you have to work twice as hard to prove yourself?
I do not think that I had to work twice as hard because I was a woman; I just had to produce good results. The only time I really felt at a disadvantage was as a Boarding Officer. As a woman, I was smaller than and not as strong as the men. Luckily, brains are the biggest part of being a good boarding officer. Also, the smaller you are the easier it is for you to crawl around a ship on a boarding.
What to you think is the biggest challenge facing women in the military today?
Balancing career demands with building a healthy family. I think this is a problem for all professional women, not just the military.
What one thing would you not have had the chance to do if you had not joined the armed forces?
One? My one thing would be having command of my own ship. But there are so many! If I had not joined the military I would have missed feeling the thrill of interdicting thousand of pounds of pre-street cocaine, knowing that I have saved peoples’ lives at sea, and having the chance to respond in a concrete and hands on way to both the Sept 11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina.
Are there any benefits to being a woman in the military?
For me, joining the military was the first time I really felt recognised for what I did (made a drug bust, saved a life, solved a tough navigation problem) rather than by what I was (some one’s girlfriend, etc.) and it was very empowering. I think it made me much more independent and confidant. I think the same would hold true for a lot of women.
If you could have ultimate power over the armed forces for one day, what would you do with it?
I would find a way to remove all the redundant reporting requirements and connect all of our information systems. The number of hours in the day has not changed, but the admin and training load continues to grow, and we continue to spend too much time compiling information on research that someone else already has.
Living in such close quarters to men for long periods of time, how hard is it to stick to the ‘No Fraternising’ rule?
Personally, I have worked too hard to get where I am to risk my career and personal life for something like that. I am careful to make sure the relationships I build with my shipmates are clearly in the friend/coworker realm. Besides, after three weeks of sleep deprivation, nobody looks that good.
Do civilian men treat you any differently when they find out you are in the military forces?
Yes. Most think it is cool, some are intimidated. A good number don’t really know what the Coast Guard is. They envision some sort of Baywatch type organisation. They are a little disappointed when I tell them there are no red swimsuits, but the fact that I carry a gun seems to make up for it.
How does your family feel about you being away so much?
They miss me and worry about my safety, but they are very proud and supportive. My parents are doubly supportive; both of their daughters are deployed!
If not the military, then what?
Still not sure what I want to be when I grow up. Either an architect or an event planner.
Kelly Pettigrove
NATION: AUSTRALIA
Age: 24
Rank: Lieutenant
What made you want to join the military?
I worked at a Navy Base when I was completing my degree and enjoyed the people and the stories I heard. I was initially going to become an Accountant, but figured why just sit behind the one desk in the one town, when I could travel the world and have a great time too.
As a woman, do you feel you have to work twice as hard to prove yourself?
No, not at all. I get treated the same as all of my other peers. You just have to be able to stand behind the decisions you make.
What one thing would you not have had the chance to do if you had not joined the armed forces?
So much travel. I never thought I would be living in the Middle East, let alone visiting countries like Saudi Arabia.
Are there any benefits to being a woman in the military?
We have the ability to get into greater management and command positions than we may have been able to in the civilian world. I mean, at the age of 26, I will have about 30 people working for me on a ship. In general, more than 50 per cent of these people will be older than me. It is an interesting position to be in at such a young age.
If you could have ultimate power over the armed forces for one day, what would you do with it?
Put more people on ships to lessen the workload on individuals.
Living in such close quarters to men for long periods of time, how hard is it to stick to the ‘No Fraternising’ rule?
It is a little hard, because obviously you form friendships with people that you may have ordinarily pursued on the outside. Even if you don’t strike up a relationship with someone, just spending time with them can be misconstrued as fraternisation.
Do civilian men treat you any differently when they find out you are in the military forces?
They do treat me differently, but it is in more of a positive way than a negative. They are generally excited about what we do and why we joined, and of course, if we get to shoot guns.
How does your family feel about you being away so much?
It is a little hard for my family because I haven’t spent a long time at home since I joined. It is still hard for them to say goodbye to me though because they don’t know exactly what I am doing most of the time. I’m going home soon, so that should be good for us all.
If not the military, what?
I would probably have become an accountant in Melbourne if I didn’t join. I’m really enjoying the Logistics side of my job after doing it for a year, so if I left the Navy, I would probably work for a major logistics company.
