Now, more than ever before, women make up a significant portion of the troops in harm's way. Women have played military roles in the US from its birth, but now women serve in our fighting force in unprecedented numbers.

Approximately 15% of our troops are female, as compared with about 11% in the Gulf War, and 2% between World War II and Vietnam. In 2004, close to 20,000 women were serving in Iraq; 75% of those in the Army.

The 2002 Blue Angels squadron had 6 female Marines, although none were on the demonstration team.

Approximately 10 - 15% of the members of the Thunderbirds team are usually female. In 2003, there were eight females assigned to the Thunderbirds.

And the US Army's Golden Knights parachute team has two female members; one on the Gold Team, and one on the Black Team.

37 of the American heroes killed in Iraq have been female. 5 have been lost in Afghanistan.

A little while ago, Sgt. Esposito emailed me to ask about the possibility of posting more pictures of female soldiers in combat roles on this blog, as she noticed there was a distinct lack of them. I let her know that I'd be happy to, but I didn't often come across photos of female troops in combat roles. She volunteered to send me some, and kept her word. I'm very pleased to post these photos of some of the women of the 143rd MP Company out of Hartford, CT, taken during deployment Iraq from April 2003-April 2004. (And it's a special treat for me, since CT's my home state.)

Thanks to Sgt. Esposito for sending these. I'll be posting more of them later.

And thanks to the women - and men - of the 143rd MP Company for all you do.


SGT Diana Esposito at an LPOP inside a commo tower.

SPC Tania Q. in a sandstorm



SGT Diana Esposito searching Iraqis coming onto the F.O.B.



SPC Tara M. at a police station in Baghdad.


Sgt. Esposito arresting a suspect in the 2003 bombing of the Jordanian Embassy.

SGT Dawn A., 143rd MP Co.


Sgt. Esposito


Links to information about Women in the Military:
US Army Women's Museum
Female Buffalo Soldier
Women in the Military
Women Play an Important Role in the military - from http://www.af.mil
Many Women Served in Vietnam
More Females Paying The Price In Iraq


Female Milbloggers:
A Female Soldier's Story
1000 Words from Iraq
Life in this Girl's Army
Life as a Baghdad Babe