Female troops in Iraq and Afghanistan increasingly on the front lines
Three years after serving in Iraq, Sgt. Carolyn Schapper is still working to regain a “normal” life. While she was serving as an intelligence officer in Iraq, Schapper saw her fair share of violence. The truck she was driving was hit by a roadside bomb twice; her unit came under mortar fire, sniper fire and countless other close calls.
Schapper is not the only woman with these war stories. A recent report released by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) highlighting the unique needs of female service members and veterans spotlighted these changing roles of women. According to the report “Women Warriors: Supporting She Who Has Borne the Battle,” more than 212,000 female service members have been deployed during the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as of January 2009. These women make up approximately 11 percent of American forces deployed to the region. Read more…