Your Mom Wears Combat Boots

Last Saturday, while we were in Arlington, we found temporary shelter from the rain and cold in the Women in Military Service for America Memorial. Now, I had no idea that the memorial existed until we saw the small sign for it in the grass across from the cemetery. And being that I am a veteran myself, I was curious.

I was a little taken back by how interesting this memorial was. It was pretty much a single, wide hallway lined with old photographs of women who paved the way for military service. Beginning in the Revolutionary War times when women mostly acted as a support system and ralliers on the home front to the present where women are in the desert with weapons in hand.


Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not a feminist by any means and I absolutely believe that there are some jobs in the military that women just have no place in, but I am proud to have served in the US Air Force for the short time that I did, and I'm proud to have had a mother who paved the way for me.


Did you know that my mom was the first female maintenance officer at Dyess AFB in Texas?!? She was. My cooky, sensitive, cry during Hallmark commercials mom knows how to fix a C-130. My mom went to work every day wearing coveralls and combat boots and she was the boss of the boys. And that was 30 years ago! She loved her job. She loved being in the Air Force. She loved the planes and the traveling getting to see my Dad at work (he was a navigator on the C-130). Even now, she gets excited when we go to an air show.


My brothers and I used to laugh about the old "Your momma wears combat boots" insult. We would look at each other and as if responding to the crack reply, "And?"


But do you know what my Mom will say her proudest accomplishment was? Coming home. She left it all behind to be a stay-at-home mom. And I'm so grateful for that.

And so I guess I really am following in her footsteps. Not only did I follow her into serving in the Air Force, but I followed her in coming home too. When Paul and I found out we were pregnant with Eva, the next step was unquestionably to put in my separation papers.


So, I'm proud to say that I wore combat boots...just like my Momma. And I'm even prouder to say that I traded them in for house shoes and the pleasure of raising my children...just like my Momma.