When I was in third grade, I wanted to be two things when I grew up: a Dallas Cowboy’s cheerleader and a Marine.
The Cowboy cheerleaders were enjoying a moment in popular culture in the early 80s, and my father had served as a Marine in Vietnam. Even after he finished law school and became a Judge Advocate General officer in the Navy, his heart was still with the Marines, ergo so was mine.
I shared my aspirations with my teacher, Ms. Herman, who assuredly informed me that “girls can’t be Marines.” I went home and shared this bit of misinformation with my parents, who promptly scheduled a visit to my classroom from a female Marine assigned to the local recruiting office.
Fast forward to the next century: I never did cheerleading of any kind, much less for an NFL team. However, I did find myself serving in uniform. While not a Marine, ultimately, I was very proud to be commissioned in the Air Force Reserves in the summer of 2001, to serve my fellow airmen as a chaplain. I entered the service shortly before the attacks on Sept. 11 that brought our country into the longest period of armed conflict in our nation’s history.
As a service member, and the spouse of an Army Special Forces officer who served for more than 33 years, I have proudly worked alongside the most qualified, determined and brave women and men serving in our country’s armed services. But even as they served on the frontlines for decades providing critical support to the unit and mission by flying helicopters, providing medical care and working on tank crews and as Army Rangers, I — and nearly every female service member I know — has endured verbal harassment that was nearly always sexual in nature, and oftentimes physical assault, from the very people who should have held dear the safety and well-being of their fellow sisters in arms.
Sexual harassment and assault significantly impact military readiness by eroding unit cohesion, lowering morale, increasing the likelihood of service members leaving the military and ultimately undermining the effectiveness of the fighting force due to decreased trust and psychological distress among personnel who experience such abuse.
It’s the U.S. Senate’s job to ensure candidates for the U.S. Cabinet are the most professionally qualified and will inspire the members of their organizations with their leadership and integrity. The nomination of Pete Hegseth to serve as the Secretary of Defense meets neither of these thresholds and raises serious questions about his judgment and vulnerability to our nation’s adversaries.
Hegseth has opposed women serving in combat roles, an opinion as outdated and misguided as Ms. Herman’s almost 50 years ago.
Hegseth also has a disturbing pattern of behavior unfit for a service member, much less the leader of the Department of Defense. He has settled sexual assault allegations by paying the alleged victim, has been seen drinking alcohol excessively and has been heard making anti-social and racist statements while drinking. He was pushed out of two veterans’ advocacy organizations amid allegations of mismanagement and personal misconduct.
As the Secretary of Defense, Hegseth’s behavior and views would disrupt morale, cohesion and readiness of the U.S. armed forces.
Our men and women in uniform and in intelligence communities swear an oath to this nation and put their lives on the line, often in difficult and dangerous circumstances. They deserve leaders who prioritize their well-being above partisan politics.
Female service members have and will continue to play a vital role in worldwide missions, contributing to the strength and capability of our nation’s armed services. They deserve a leader who respects and values their critical contribution to the mission.
Sen. John Curtis and Sen. Mike Lee must do their duty and due diligence to ensure a transparent and rigorous vetting process of the administration’s nominees, particularly those with national security implications like Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel. It is essential to maintaining the integrity of our democratic institutions and ensuring that individuals in key roles meet the highest standards of accountability.
Pete Hegseth is a damaging and dangerous choice to lead the dedicated women and men of our beloved country’s armed services.
(Meredith Reed) Meredith Reed is an Air Force veteran and the Post Commander of American Legion Post 14 in Park City.
Meredith Reed is an Air Force veteran and the Post Commander of American Legion Post 14 in Park City.
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