Category Archives: History

Between Us “Girls”: The US Naval Institute’s 2016 Naval History “Athena Conference”

Posted on September 12, 2016 by

I’m going to call out an admiral and a general in this post, with all due respect and only the kindest of intent. But first, I’d like to start with a story that I’ve told elsewhere. As a lieutenant on … Continue reading →

Posted in History, In the News | 6 Comments

The Matriarch of Contemporary Women Veterans’ Literature

Posted on January 27, 2016 by

Since Cara Hoffman wrote her op-ed “The Things She Carried” for the New York Times in 2014, critics have either pointed out the “absence” of women veterans’ narratives in the canon of war literature, or wondered what female authors today’s women … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Literary Criticism, Nonfiction | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Bibliography Update

Posted on May 18, 2015 by

Today I revisited the Women in Military Service for America Memorial to investigate the contents of the bookshelves in the gift shop. In addition to M. L. Doyle’s biography of General Julia Cleckley, which is already on the P&F bibliography … Continue reading →

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“Every Servicewoman’s Story Is Important!”

Posted on March 30, 2015 by

I recently visited the Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Washington, DC. Public spaces in a nation’s capital tell the “official” story of that country to the rest of the world, and the architects and planners of Washington, … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Tagged , | 3 Comments

“A Remarkable, Vigilant Soldier on Her Post”

Posted on March 20, 2015 by

In 1782, Deborah Sampson disguised herself in men’s clothing to enlist in the Continental Army. She was wounded in combat later that year. After her discovery and discharge from the Army in 1783, she petitioned for and received a Congressional … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Nonfiction | Tagged , | 1 Comment