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R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Women carry responsibility of
changing history in Army
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Choli Ence, a junior biology major from St.
George; Haley Breck, a senior criminal justice major
from Salt Lake City; Christin Walker, a junior psychology
major from Pine Canyon; and Doni Nicholas, a masters
of education student from Brigham City, stand at
attention in ROTC formation but also have civilian
lives where they can feel feminine.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ANNIE BROWN / UNIVERSITY JOURNAL
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By MELISSA NIELSEN
UNIVERSITY JOURNAL
Nineteen women wear the uniform bearing the name of
the ROTC and carry with them the responsibility of a changing
history fighting for equality.
“Good women have just as much to contribute as men
do,” said Jessie Hunter, a senior criminal justice
major from Tooele.
“Being a female is a contribution in itself,”
Hunter said.
ROTC female members add diversity to the program.
“It does give women more respect,” said Christin
Walker, a junior psychology major from Pine Canyon. It
proves that women are “willing to do what it takes
to defend our country.”
Doni Nicholas from Brigham City received a bachelor’s
degree in economics from the University of Utah and is
beginning the master’s degree program at SUU in
education. She is the oldest cadet and
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said she brings life experiences to the ROTC
program.
“You can be feminine and be in the military,”
Nicholas said. “None of us fit the stereotype.”
Currently women are not allowed to be on the front lines.
Issues exist about constitutional rights and historic gender
roles that prevent women from being in combat.
History has come a long way.
“It’s not there yet but it is better than it
was,” said Hayley Breck, a senior criminal justice
major from Salt Lake City.
“The role of women in the American military dates
back to the Revolutionary War when the functions of what
are now known as combat service support were carried out
by women,” said Jim Fox, West Point, N.Y., ARNews,
in the article “A Look at History of Women in the
Army.”
“Reportedly 300 women during the Civil War, essentially
dressed up as men and served in regular units. ‘Some
of the evidence seems to point out that the women’s
‘mess mates’ did seem to know they were (women
dressed as men). But they had already proved themselves
in battle . . .,” said Judith A. Luckett, a professor
in the U.S. Military Academy History Department, in the
article.
Even today women feel as if they need to prove themselves.
It is harder to be a woman in the Army because they have
to prove themselves physically fit and capable, Breck said.
“It is really hard because we are the minority,”
Breck said.
There is a different physical standard for women, said Chris
Pierce, a senior sociology major from La Sal.
To pass the physical standard testing a male must do 53
pushups and a female must do 20. Situps are closer in number
with 53 for a male and 50 for a female. To pass the two-mile
run a male must finish in 15:54 minutes
and a female in 18:54 minutes.
“The 1970s were a time of great change for the role
of women in the military,” Fox quoted Luckett. “The
only way for a woman to come into the Army as an officer
was by direct commission. A candidate had to already have
at least a bachelor’s degree.”
Nicolas was planning on joining the Marines but the Army
has a greater respect for education.
“Equalizing regulations were implemented in order
to increase the number of (female) enlistments,” Fox
said.
“I feel like I am treated totally fair,” Walker
said.
Pierce said if a woman was a commanding office over him
he would respect the rank not the gender.
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Voters to settle who to become representative
for 2nd District
By KAMI SAVAGE
UNIVERSITY JOURNAL
Controversy surrounding Initiative 1 and debate in the hard-fought
race among Congressional candidates Republican John Swallow
and Democrat Jim Matheson, as well as two third-party candidates,
will be settled on Nov. 5 when Utah voters go to the polls.
Iron County voters, who are included in the Second U.S. Congressional
District (after this year’s redistricting) and in the
Fifth Judicial District, will also see six state constitutional
amendments, six appellate court judges, one district court judge
and two justice court judges on the ballot.
The 13,000-word Intitiative 1, according to the Utah Voter Information
Pamphlet, “changes Utah’s regulatory and tax framework
affecting the disposal and storage of radioactive waste. It
provides stricter regulations, certain prohibitions and new
and increased fees and taxes.
“The Initiative distributes 80 percent of all taxes on
radioactive waste to education and 20 percent to an endowment
to help alleviate homelessness and poverty.”
Advocates for the initiative say it will benefit Utah because
the initiative will prevent Utah from receiving “hotter”
radioactive waste while improving educational spending.
Opponents say that the initiative is too confusing and was drafted
in secret. They also say that if the initiative were passed,
the jobs of some 400 employees of a radioactive waste facility
in Tooele County would be threatened; the initiative would require
the facility to pay additional taxes to store waste, taxes the
facility could not afford and which may drive the company out
of business.
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In the Congressional race, Democratic candidate Matheson andRepublican
candidate Swallow, as well as Libertarian party candidate Ron
Copier and Green party candidate Patrick Diehl, will vie for
the seat.
Matheson and Swallow debated at SUU Oct. 24 and both said that
the state of the economy is their top priority. They also discussed
the federal government’s position on a war with Iraq and
late-term abortions. For more information on the Matheson and
Swallow debate, see pages 1 and 3 of the Journal’s Oct.
28 issue.
In the Utah Voter Information Pamphlet, Copier said that he
“would like to be known as the candidate who qualifies
as a non-political, political candidate” who wants to
be known as “an unknown candidate who was not funded
by the greed of big business.”
Diehl gave his qualifications in the pamphlet, which include
volunteer work against nuclear weapons and a position on the
executive committee of the Sierra Club.
The six state constitutional amendments that will be on the
ballot include Constitutional Amendment Number 1, “resolution
on investment of state school fund and uniform school fund;”
Consitutional Amendment Number 2, “joint resolution on
changes to county boundaries;” Constitutional Amendment
Number 3, “resolution amending revenue and taxation provisions
of Utah Constitution;” Constitutional Amendment Number
4, “resolution requiring public notice prior to special
session;” Constitutional Amendment Number 5, “debt
limits for political subdivisions;” Constitutional Amendment
Number 6, “resolution to expand the government property
tax exemption.”
Fifth Judicial District voters will also vote whether to retain
the following judges in their current positions: Utah appellate
court judges Russell W. Bench, Judith H. Billings, James Z.
Davis, Pamela T. Greenwood, Norman H. Jackson and Gregory K.
Orme; district court judge J. Phillip Eves and justice court
judges Kenneth H. Adams and Margaret Miller.
For more in-depth information on the 2002 General Election,
refer to the Utah Voter Information Pamphlet which can be found
near Journal distribution bins around campus.
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