'Flags-In' at Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day 2008
Originally uploaded by soldiersmediacenter
Today, Memorial day [wiki] is commemorated here in the United States - the remembrance of the women and men that have been killed in military service.
As a Swede, I am still forgetting/neglecting that the US is at war, and the huge role the military plays as an employer in all areas. I still remember the surprise I felt when I realized that I had nursing colleagues that had been employed by the US Navy as specialist nurses within the care for neonate children. The concept of having women and men stationed abroad, that procreated and had complicated deliveries.
This is not something the Swedish armed forces has had problems with. But we have not had that large of a military presence in society, and we have had peace since almost 200 years.
The largest US health institution - the Department of Veterans Affairs [homepage][wiki] - is getting some critique in editorials in both NYT and SF Chronicle, and the lives of female soldiers is stressed.
In a recent court decision a lesbian flight nurse was reinstated in her position after having been discharged according to the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The court claims that it has to be proved that a lesbian or gay service member hurts a units morale. [SF Chronicle]
Leave a comment