As much as I respect and support the men and women in our military, US military policy is sometimes a silly one. For example, it forbids women from serving in military units whose primary object is direct ground combat. Whaaaaat?! I would assume there are some women who join the military thinking they’ll be able to serve their country in the exact same way men do.
It turns out a group of female support soldiers got around this policy and ended up fighting alongside Marines in the Iraq War. Lioness, which actually premiered on PBS’ Independent Lens in November 2008 (and is set for release on October 27), tells the powerful story of these five female soldiers. These five women, who served as mechanics, clerks and engineers, were part of the first program in US history to send women in direct ground combat. The candid narratives of these women show just how deep the effects of war can change an individual both emotionally and psychologically.
Be sure to check out Lioness , the first documentary to give a voice to female combat vets, if you haven’t already.
nicole!
Photo courtesy of Current
