Colonel Maria Britt (left), Georgia Army Guard chief of staff, talks with Sgt. Celia Reid, an administrative specialist serving with Forces Command.

'Military Women Moving Forward'
Army Guard Chief Chief Says

Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Roy Henry
Georgia National Guard
Public Affairs Office

ATLANTA, March 30, 2007 – Georgia Army National Guard chief of staff Col. Maria Britt related her experiences growing up and as a woman in the military to an audience of more than 100 gathered at Fort McPherson’s Commons Club in celebration of Women’s History Month.

Britt, who’s been with the Guard for more than 20 years, and was its first female battalion commander, focused her comments on the theme, “Generations of women moving history forward,”

In part, Britt explained, the theme celebrates the power and impact of past and present generations of women moving history forward. It is that process of individuals coming together for the greater good of society, that is so important, she said.

“I equate that phrase, ‘greater good of society,” with what we do in the military,” Britt said. “It’s something continually strive for as Soldiers, something on which we, as a group, set our sights in working toward a better tomorrow for those who come after us.”

Among the personal experiences she related was her time as a 19-year-old cadet at West Point in the early 1980s and what happened while attending jungle warfare school at the Army’s former Fort Sherman in Panama.

Although she it didn’t realize it then, Britt said, she was the first woman to ever attend and possibly graduate from the jungle school. It didn’t hit home until she arrived at Sherman, when several of her male counterparts made clear that she wasn’t welcome, and that she wasn’t wanted or expected to stay, let alone graduate.

“Yeah, I didn’t like it, but I also knew that I walked away a graduate, that I’d earned the badge just as my male counterparts had done,” she said with a smile. Since then, she said, other women have attended and graduated from the school.

“Being a part of that, of helping ‘move history forward,’ makes it all worthwhile,” she said.

“Women must try to do things as men have tried. But when women fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others,” said Britt, quoting aviatrix Amelia Earhart.

Britt said, she really admires such spirit because it reminds her of her own…to go ahead and take a risk; fail but get up and try again.