Serving America As A Woman Marine
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00:00Marine Cherry Point Tower, this is Nora 2-4, four miles southwest of Cherry Point.
00:22I have an emergency.
00:24Fire warning light.
00:25Request an immediate landing.
00:26Over.
00:28Nora 2-4, this is Marine Cherry Point Tower, clear to land runway 5, wind 060 degrees at
00:378 knots.
00:38All aircraft, this is Marine Cherry Point Tower, taxi clear of runway and center man
00:43immediately.
00:46Crash crew, stand by.
00:47F-4B straight in approach, landing runway 5.
00:51Has fire warning light.
00:57F-4B straight in approach, landing runway 5.
01:28Nora 2-1, Marine Cherry Point Tower.
01:47Whether she brings a combat pilot safely back to Earth or helps him learn the ropes in a
01:52new high-performance jet, today's woman Marine has a big job to do.
01:57An important job.
02:00In many cases, her job is very similar to work she may want to continue with in civilian
02:04life.
02:08Work such as data processing, merchandising, secretarial.
02:16In contrast to these familiar jobs, the woman Marine may want to serve in a totally new
02:21environment, such as this radar center at Cherry Point.
02:28Whether the task is routine or unique, the woman Marine works side-by-side with the men
02:34of the Corps, knowing that her contribution is an important one and that her spirit and
02:39pride of performance are needed on the job.
02:52What does it take to put you in this picture?
02:59To make you a part of an organization as modern as tomorrow and as important as today's
03:04headlines?
03:06Take air traffic controller Betty Davison, for example.
03:10Let's wind the clock back.
03:13Like many high school graduates, Betty had no specific plans.
03:18But she did have one advantage.
03:20She already had the incentive to learn and the willingness to accept responsibility.
03:26These assets would serve her well in whatever field she entered.
03:30However, selecting the field, that was another story.
03:34Betty discovered many opportunities awaiting an intelligent high school graduate, but making
03:39the right choice was easier said than done.
03:43Many factors had to be considered, and she didn't want to rush into anything before weighing
03:48all the facts.
03:50After taking a long, hard look at many of the available jobs, Betty found that they
03:55didn't seem to well fit the bill.
03:59As Betty herself put it, she felt a desire to give her talent to a cause that was important.
04:05She wanted a job with meaning, a job that she could take satisfaction in doing well.
04:12Why not?
04:16It certainly won't hurt to ask a few questions.
04:20And that's how it all began.
04:41Of course, Betty's decision to join the Marine Corps wasn't made as quickly as that.
04:52There were many things to consider, and not the least of these was her parents' reaction.
04:58On this point, Betty's Marine representative helped out.
05:02She assured them that the decision to become a woman Marine is not an easy one for a young
05:06woman to make, nor should it be.
05:10Unlike young men, there is no military obligation on her part.
05:15She is a volunteer.
05:20Should she decide to join the Corps, she will become a member of an organization whose emblem
05:25has been the hallmark of honor for nearly 200 years.
05:33This is Paris Island, Betty's first stop on the way to becoming a woman Marine.
05:47Here she will acquire the basic training, the discipline, the sense of pride that have
05:53traditionally earned Marines respect wherever they have served.
06:04Betty discovered that one thing she didn't have to worry about in boot camp was looking
06:10after herself.
06:13There was always someone to tell her what to wear, how to wear it, when to eat, and
06:23when to wake up.
06:28Well, they tried to tell her when to wake up.
06:34One thing made her mad.
06:36She had always prided herself on the way she could make up a bed, but the United States
06:41Marine Corps had other ideas.
06:44Betty soon learned that in arguments like this, the Marine Corps usually won out.
06:50When Betty discovered that hairstyling could be just as feminine in boot camp as it was
06:55on the outside, she and the Corps resolved their differences.
07:01Physical fitness is not an exclusive province of the men.
07:05When the Marine Corps talks about a sound mind in a sound body, they are referring to
07:10men and women.
07:12At Paris Island, not all of the workouts are done on the drill field.
07:16Some remain indoor sports.
07:21Every woman who leaves Paris Island takes with her a solid foundation in efficient office
07:27administration.
07:29Routines mastered here serve them well wherever they go in the Corps, and later in civilian
07:34life as well.
07:43Sometimes it seemed that even perfection itself was not good enough.
07:47But if things got a little rough, it was only the Marines' way of making sure that
07:51Betty and all of her platoon represented the very best that Paris Island could deliver
07:56to the Corps.
08:18And then one day it came to pass.
08:21They were Marines.
08:37From Paris Island, they were sent to Navy and Marine Corps bases from coast to coast.
08:43Norfolk, headquarters fleet Marine Force, Atlantic.
08:48Here women Marines serve in administration, communications, and even in intelligence work.
08:58Cherry Point, home of Marine aviation on the east coast.
09:04Quantico, Marine Corps schools, center of officer training.
09:11The west coast features some of the most colorful Marine Corps stations.
09:16Take Camp Pendleton.
09:18While the new Marine will find plenty of work during her first tour of duty, she'll have time
09:23for relaxation too.
09:29These Marines have discovered a whole new world of adventure on their off-duty hours,
09:34and without leaving the post.
09:41Some were sent to the nation's capital, where they served in many varied areas,
09:47often finding themselves on the office staff of the top military commands.
09:53Paris Island graduates who qualified for advanced training were sent to formal schools.
09:59Betty was selected for the demanding job of an air traffic controller.
10:05Wherever they went, whatever their job, they found themselves sharing in the rich traditions
10:11established by the Corps through almost two centuries of exemplary service.
10:17They found themselves growing, not just as part of the group, but as individuals too.
10:28The Marine Corps sets a high value upon initiative and progress.
10:35Betty, like many of her contemporaries, found that she could go as far as her incentive would take her.
10:42Her salary, in addition to living expenses and uniforms, enables the woman Marine
10:48to treat herself to a good old-fashioned spending spree, and even have some left over for a rainy day.
10:56While extra money and a smart wardrobe are good for a woman's sense of well-being,
11:01the woman Marine finds herself making a far more important investment.
11:10Through her daily work and acceptance of responsibility, she invests in her own character.
11:16Being responsible for getting pilots weather information accurately and on time
11:22is just one way she proves her worth, not just to the Marine Corps, but to herself as well.
11:32Each homecoming is special, for Betty's progress in the Marine Corps
11:38is reflected in her ever-increasing self-confidence and poise.
11:44Betty never realized how much she had grown until some old high school friends dropped over.
11:50In them she saw herself a few years ago, and it didn't seem possible.
11:56Travel, all over the United States and many parts of the world.
12:02Not only are women Marines stationed overseas, but they may take advantage of space-available
12:08air transportation, or HOPs, during their 30 days paid vacation.
12:14Some of the most rewarding benefits in the life of a woman Marine are the close friendships
12:20which always evolve when men and women work together for a common purpose.
12:26No matter how many miles she may travel, or how many different lands she may visit,
12:32no matter how many stations she may serve, she will never find herself among strangers.
13:02♪