While women are officially barred from combat in the American armed services, in the current war, where there are no front lines, the ban on combat is virtually meaningless. More than in any previous conflict in our history, American women are engaging with the enemy, suffering injuries, and even sacrificing their lives in the line of duty.
This must-read book juxtaposes forty-eight self-posed photographs by Sascha Pflaeging with oral histories collected by Laura Browder to provide a dramatic portrait of women at war. Women from all five branches of the military share their stories here-moving stories that are comic, thought-provoking, and profound. Seeing their faces in stunning color photographic portraits and reading what they have to say about loss, comradeship, conflict, and hard choices will change the ways people think about women and war.
In addition to the book, a documentary film is in the works, and a traveling photo exhibition has recently arrived at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. The exhibition will be in Arlington through September 5, 2010. If you’re a DC local or you have plans to travel to the area over the summer, don’t miss the opportunity to learn about these women and their stories. For a taste of the portraits, check out this slideshow.
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