WITH PRIDE AND DIGNITY

[Music] this is our beautiful national capital in washington here is the monument named after our first president the thomas jefferson memorial the memorial to abraham lincoln and here just across the potomac river in lovely virginia is the proud manor that was once the home of robert e lee fort myer where i'm stationed was part of the lee estate and no matter how many times you pass through its gates on the way to work you never quite lose the thrill of this intimate brush with history my name is mildred bailey i'm a lieutenant colonel in the women's army corps a title and organization of which i'm understandably proud there are three companies of women at fort myer i'm their commanding officer a combination of house mother dean of women and a half dozen other things all rolled into one for more than 250 women on duty in the washington area that's sergeant first class jeanne bienert as do i she too lives off post most of the officers and senior enlisted women do i've always admired sergeant binard admired her poise her air of self-confidence the way she talks and the proud way she carries herself [Music] to me she typifies the pride and dignity of the women in today's women's army corps [Applause] usually on wednesday i hold a company formation which means that instead of going directly to their duty stations in the pentagon and other nearby military agencies we first assemble in the company area a minor concession to the army way i look forward to these formations and the opportunity they provide to maintain that personal communication which is so important they also help to remind us that we're all part of a team working together depending on each other my office door is always open but often little questions can't wait the women are free to approach me at any time and i encourage them to do so it always helps to get someone else's viewpoint or advice or to be reassured good to have someone older and wiser to turn to and that's one of the things commanding officers are for your relationship with the members of your command becomes much like that of pupil and teacher and you get a lot of satisfaction out of helping them watching them develop self-reliance maturity of judgment and self-discipline the friendships you make in the core last a long time and hardly a day passes that you don't receive a letter from one of your women who has transferred to a new assignment and now and then a letter that turns back the clock to distant memories of your first days in the corn dear mildred received a letter today from daughter ellen our first since she started her basic training she's terribly thrilled and so excited and so impressed do you remember our first days more than 20 years ago 20 years ago has it been that long yes i guess it has a thought [Music] july 1942 a brand new experience for every one of us and a challenge i made lots of friends then friendships that have stood the test of time and change january 1943 how excited we were that tremendous day we embarked for overseas and how proud and important we felt the first american women soldiers to sail away to war not to fight of course but to free a man to fight does that sound too pat too much slogan have you ever talked to a soldier who had to fight outnumbered on some battlefield support behind the lines has real meaning for him and for those who fought beside him then came that day one september 1943 when the auxiliary was dropped from the name women's army auxiliary corps and we became the women's army corps a component in the united states army standing on our own two high heels it wasn't planned that way but some of us did come under fire and when we did we responded with a kind of courage that made our men proud of us soldiers like general mark clark in italy made it a point to give that courage a soldier's recognition finally it came the e day victory in europe oh how proud we were as we marched with our men down the champs-elysees in paris as part of the greatest victorious american army in the nation's history [Music] today's women are a lot like we were the uniforms the trimmer and maybe a lot of them are a bit smarter they have to be today's requirements are higher than ever but otherwise the women today are much as we were the same bright faces ready smiles the same eagerness for challenge the same wonderful pride [Applause] [Music] in the pentagon alone wax perform more than 20 different kinds of jobs in the army as a whole the total is more than 100. they feel vital positions in the offices and communication centers in both the department of the army and the department of defense some are receptionists for top ranking generals where they take care of important appointment calendars and handle correspondence which might someday be among the treasured documents in the national archives [Applause] some are assigned to the graphic arts where working with others they participate in the free exchange of ideas getting the job done they are advanced in their occupational specialty according to their skill those with an inclination toward clerical work learn to operate business machines in an army service school and after graduation are placed in key positions in busy command headquarters and logistical support activities like so many of their counterparts in civilian life many whacks are stenographers and those with top secret clearances are selected to work in top level defense department agencies recording every word that is said at vital decision making conferences learning of history before it happens in today's fast-moving world the opportunities for wax in the field of medicine are as varied as they are exciting many work in medical administration pharmacy or as dental or x-ray technicians or even as laboratory assistants in the expanding field of medical research some make a rewarding army career of the popular hobby of photography others qualify for a variety of jobs in the realm of celluloid in the laboratory and as camera wielding photographers covering assignments for the information officer [Music] in the field of information many whacks are on army newspaper stamps where they write stories for release to the civilian press others are radio journalists writing their own copy for transmission over the airwaves or spinning discs for soldier audiences communications hold the army together and in today's modern defense establishment the rapid and continuous flow of information to america's far-flung outposts is an indispensable part of national security many wax play a major role in communications working as they do in tape relay centers both in the united states and overseas [Music] but it's not all work in addition to 30 days lead time each year wax receive frequent passes days off for relaxation and for sightseeing after a day's work many relax in the comfort of the day room that's army talk for the company living room here they watch television read keep up on the traditional feminine arts or simply engage in small talk [Music] the army affords many opportunities for service women to advance themselves intellectually off-duty educational programs offer courses leading to a college degree [Music] wax have an active social life most military installations feature several post clubs at many of these social centers lively combos provide the necessary background for an evening of dancing and entertainment [Music] but a busy day and an entertaining evening like all good things must come to an end including the evening of dancing with mr wonderful [Music] as for me a typical day ends with trying to catch up on personal correspondence answering letters from both new and old friends [Music] dear mary your most welcome letter came this morning and brought with it such a wonderful surge of memories those early days in the whack were wonderful wonderful times mary the time of youth is always wonderful of course but it was more so as we shared it i'm so delighted to hear velen's enthusiasm for the core but how could it be otherwise the way you brought her up the patriotism and sense of duty you instilled in her toward her church her country you're right mary you don't have to worry about ellen [Music] the women's army corps is filling with girls just like her truly wonderful young women with high ideals and a sense of dedication and direction that put real meaning into the words serving with pride and dignity the corps has many examples of fine young american womanhood they make me proud very proud of the uniform i wear and the army it represents proud to be a member of the women's army corps [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] you