As we celebrate the men and women who have lost their lives in service to our country and as we anticipate the 70^th anniversary of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, I thought it appropriate to interview a servicewoman I know. Specialist Jordan Harris has served in the Army Reserves as a Chaplain’s Assistant for four years and continues to serve while attending Liberty University.

What made you want to serve in the military?

I had been involved in JROTC (Junior Reserves Officer’s Training Corps) in high school along with marching band, so I always gravitated towards the more disciplined lifestyle and I was comfortable being in a uniform and marching. To be honest I always wanted to be able to serve, it was just a matter of picking a branch.

What drew you specifically to the Army Reserves?

My JROTC program in high school was Army, so I was naturally more comfortable with Army. I specifically chose the reserves (over National Guard or Active Duty) for two reasons. I knew I wanted to go to college full time, which took out active duty as an option, and I didn’t plan on staying in the state of Pennsylvania where I am from, so PA National Guard was also not an option. I wanted the flexibility to travel to and from my unit while attending college outside of Pennsylvania because at the time, no schools I was looking at were in PA.

What is your favorite part of being in the military?

To be honest, being able to give back to this country is my favorite part. It sounds cheesy but I have always been a little too patriotic for my own good, being raised in small town USA. Serving in the military is just one more aspect of my patriotism. I see it as I get to wear the uniform. It’s a privilege to me.

Do you think that women in the military face specific challenges? Why or why not?

I do think that women in the military face specific challenges. Just by nature women are built differently and will never fully be able to compete with a male, but in a culture that is predominantly male, there is always the pressure to compete and prove yourself because women are perceived as weaker (either intentionally or unintentionally), even in the healthiest of military contexts.

What do you wish people knew about being a woman in the military?

I wish people were not as surprised by the fact that women are in the military. Also, I wish they understood that not all women in the military fit the same mold. Sometimes it comes up in conversation that I am currently enlisted in the Army Reserves and I more often than not get a surprised look, as if it’s unexpected. Not every woman has to “look the part” and there are many women in the military, so it shouldn’t be a surprise when a woman says that she is. Being surprised almost implies that she isn’t capable of military service.

I’d also like to add that I do not consider myself a feminist and I believe that men are built differently than women and thus we have different roles, which is biblical. But I do support women serving in the armed forces (clearly as I am one) and believe that women in the military should be given the same respect as men. However, that respect needs to be earned by both parties.