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CASSANDRA's avatar

Your story is so powerful, and it resonates deeply with the reality many women in the military face that I wasn't fully aware of. The battle to prove oneself while constantly being made to feel ‘less than’ is exhausting. The sacrifices women are forced to make, from proving worth to navigating the complexities of motherhood and mental health, highlight the inequities embedded in the system. This piece sheds light on how much work is still needed, not just for inclusion, but for true respect and fairness. Thank you for sharing your experiences

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Alisa Sieber's avatar

Thank you for your words—they mean more than I can say. The exhaustion of constantly proving ourselves, of navigating a system designed to undermine rather than uplift, is something so many women in the military (and beyond) know too well. And yet, we keep going. We keep showing up, even when leadership fails us, even when we are made to feel like liabilities instead of assets.

I wrote this piece because I needed people to see the truth—that readiness isn’t just about numbers, it’s about trust. And trust is impossible in a system that refuses to respect the people holding it up. Your recognition of that struggle, your willingness to listen and sit with these realities, is exactly why I refuse to stay silent.

There is so much work to be done. But we do it together. Thank you for reading, for acknowledging, and for caring. That, in itself, is a step toward change.

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