THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 7, 1995 TAG: 9507070003
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 33 lines
Regarding ``Keep VMI all male'' (letter, June 16):
If the military is really serious about fully integrating women gradually into all facets of the service, it must begin with education. Not education once a commission is earned, but education, training and experiences while earning a commission.
As a female graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, I can say that the institution also turns out the ``finest young men'' for the military. These midshipmen are prepared to enter the service and have women as co-workers, subordinates or senior officer without being subject to culture shock. Our dormitory (``the Hall'') was and still is completely coed. There were women in the mess hall, in the classroom and on the athletic field. That scenario did not change upon graduation. In today's military there are women in fighter squadrons, in the SEABEEs and on combat ships.
I can only hope that the mentality that spurred the bumper sticker ``If women want the VMI experience, marry a VMI grad,'' is not the same view on the military itself; i.e., if women want the military experience, marry a service man.
JODI L. ERICKSON
Chesapeake, June 19, 1995 by CNB