Many of my recent thoughts have had a cynical undertone, but today I was genuinely happy to read a news item out of San Diego. The Associated Press was reporting that, for the first time in U.S. Naval history, a black woman was promoted to command a combat vessel. Cmdr Michelle Howard has assumed command of the USS Rushmore and its crew of 19 officers and 250 enlisted people (note).
Don't be tempted to say "what took so long?" because this isn't some quota-based promotion. Commanding a combat ship is significant. Sailors will live and die by at her command. This is something she must have worked very hard to achieve and by meeting this challenge she will not only help male contemporaries see that women are capable warriors, but also show other women that there is a valuable place for them defending our nation.
To my eight year-old daughter, this all seems so obvious. "Of course daddy, girls can do anything" she says while watching Leilu (from "The fifth element") defeat ultimate evil and save the entire universe. But it wasn't that long ago that the nation rejected the Democratic party for allowing a woman to run for the Vice-presidency (a job that even a buffoon like Dan Quayle could handle.)
Best wishes Commander Howard. I hope that your mission in the Persian Gulf this summer does not bring you and your able crew into harm's way. But if it does, I have implicit faith from one veteran to another, that you will do whatever is necessary to defend the constitution of the United States of America.
Links:
Note: As of today, the Navy has not updated the Rushmore's homepage to reflect
the new Commanding Officer.
According to the Navy's "Fact File," the Rushmore, LSD-47 is a "Whidby
Island" class Dock Landing Ship with 22 officers, 391 enlisted and a Marine
Detachment ranging from 402 to 504.