Because of the demand for the podcast, I have decided to switch from a weekly episode to two episodes a week. This will give me the ability to share more stories along with doing specialized episodes to help highlight military women's issues and history. I'm excited about what is to come.

Number 10: Episode 105: Deputy Director of the Air National Guard

From planning to serve four years to Deputy Director of the Air National Guard. My guest, Maj Gen Dawne Deskins, this week didn’t want to join the military but needed a way to pay for college. Her dad said you only have to serve four years and then they will pay for your college. So she decided to join through ROTC. And 36 years later she is still in the Air Force.

Number 9: Episode 93: First Female Thunderbird Pilot

This week my guest is Nicole Malachowski. She is a combat veteran, the first female Thunderbird pilot, a former fighter squadron commander, a former White House Fellow and advisor, and a patient advocate. At five years old Nicole went to an air show in California and saw the F-4 fly and knew she wanted to be a fighter pilot. Even though women couldn’t be fighter pilots her family didn’t dissuade her from joining. She knew at 12 that she wanted to attend the Air Force Academy and even wrote a letter to the Academy letting them know she wanted to attend.

Number 8: Episode 103: Female Engagement Teams

Amy Forsythe served on five combat tours as a correspondent and Public Affairs Officer. In 2006, she was part of the first-ever Female Engagement Teams in Iraq. I am excited to share her story this week on the podcast as I have done a lot of research about Female Engagement Teams, but have found limited information. It will be exciting to hear her experience being on the first one. She has won numerous journalism awards, including the Marine Corps Broadcaster of the Year award in 2006, and the PRSA Bronze and Silver Anvil awards in 2009.

Number 7: Episode 100: What Advice Would You Give to Women considering Military Service

I pulled some of the pieces of military advice for young women from my guests. There are pieces of their quotes in the blog post, but take time to listen to their full advice on the podcast. And make sure if you are considering military service to take time to listen to the stories shared on the podcast. Women have been serving for generations and have so much advice to help make service for the next generation even better.

Number 6: Episode 57: Serving in Desert Storm

What do you know about Desert Storm? I loved getting to talk to Angela Beltz this week about her experience in the Army National Guard. She was one of the first to deploy for Desert Storm and talks about the challenges she faced. Also mentioned Episode 102: Serving in the Reserves Might not be what you Expect

Number 5: Episode 85: The Challenge of Officer Candidate School

It is challenging to be a woman in a leadership position in the military, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. We get a chance to see how Gwendolyn overcame the challenges she faced especially when she made the switch from Enlisted to Officer through Officer Candidate School. 

Number 4: Episode 80: Joining the Marine Corps 

Joining the Marine Corps seemed like a crazy idea, but it launched Jen’s career and it gave her so many tools that she has used for the rest of her life. Check out this great interview with Jen Furlong about her experience in the Marine Corps as a Public Affairs Officer. 

Number 3: Episode 87: Sirens: How to Pee Standing Up

Laura served in the Army National Guard from March 2001-2009 as a military police officer. She was activated to active duty and deployed to Baghdad, Iraq from March 2003-July 2004. In 2019, Laura published her memoir, Sirens: How to Pee Standing Up, which is an alarming memoir of combat and coming back home.

Number 2: Episode 82: What Branch of the Military Should I Join?

Deciding to join the military is a big decision on its own, but it isn’t where the decisions end. There are six branches of the military that you can serve in. The Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy, Marine Corps, and Space Force. Each branch has its own culture and mission and making sure to pick the one that fits you best is an important step when joining the military. You also need to consider if you would like to serve on active duty, in the National Guard or Reserves. There is no one right answer. The best branch for you needs to meet your goals and aspirations and not just be focused on the “perks” of one branch over another. Depending on why you are joining and what you are looking for will help you determine what branch and way you should serve in the military.

Number 1: Episode 58: Overcoming Rape in the Military

Can you imagine what it is like to be a woman in the military? Unfortunately being raped is one of the struggles women face. Ruthie is a rape survivor She shares her story this week on the podcast about being raped, not once but twice and what she did to help someone who was being harassed. Ruthie served in the US Army for 8.5 years. She was stationed in California, Kentucky, Georgia, and Texas. She also did a 12-month tour in Afghanistan. she separated from the Army as a Staff Sergeant (E-6) in 2015. After staying at home for several months, she went back to work as a federal contractor in Maryland.

Did your favorite episode from 2020 make the list of the top five played episodes of 2020? Head over to the blog or social media to share your favorite!

Check out the full transcript of-the-military.simplecast.com/episodes/top-10-episodes-for-2020/transcript">hereof-the-military.simplecast.com/episodes/my-mom-called-the-army-recruiter/transcript">.  

Thank you to my Patreon Sponsor Col Level and above:Kevin Barba, Adriana Keefe

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Resources:

Women of the Military Mentorship Program

Girl's Guide to Military Service available where books are sold. 

Signed copies of A Girl's Guide to Military Service

Girl's Guide to the Military Series