Malibu Chapter DAR presents 14th Annual Women in the Military Luncheon.
By Joan Prather / Special to The Malibu Times
Navy SEAL Cmdr. Grant S. Staats spoke at the 14th Annual “Women in the Military Luncheon” Saturday. The event, which was sponsored by the Malibu Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, took place at the Malibu Nature Preserve. Staats gave the 60-plus guests in attendance insight into what it takes to become a Navy SEAL.
It may have seemed an unlikely topic, given the mostly World War II women veterans sitting at the front table, some in vintage uniforms. The irony was not lost on Malibu High School senior Tenaya Drapkin, who was given the Good Citizen Award of both Malibu Chapter and District IX from the DAR who sponsor the annual event.
Staats at times spoke directly to Drapkin, who, while maintaining a 4.0 grade average, competes in both cross-country and soccer at Malibu High School. His point was that even the best scholar athletes do not always possess the mental toughness it takes to earn the coveted Navy SEAL Trident pin. The criteria for entering the SEALs include being male, not older than 28, high intelligence scores, and a stamina test that would challenge even a world-class athlete.
“What drives these elite group of young men to want to go through the grueling training?” Staats asked. “Patriotism: the desire to serve your country and to be a part of something greater than self. The same qualities I hear from many of you ladies in the DAR and these deserving, talented young students. The difference is that we take that passion; nurture it, train it and direct it into a specific set of skills. There is no doubt that we have the best fighting force in the world because of our training, the great pool of talent we are able to draw upon and the fact each is a willing volunteer.”
Marjorie Dukatz, a World War II Marine veteran and longtime Malibu resident, represented the World War II “gals” by describing her experiences during 1945, that, she said was, “the most eventful year for me which also affected the whole world.”
Dukatz, who in 1945 was 19 years old, was working as a ‘Rosie the Riveter” at Northrup Aviation when she got word that her fiance had been killed that day in the first Allied Army Invasion of Iwo Jima, a tiny island in the Pacific. Seven thousand American Marines and sailors lost their lives on the islands along with 20,000 Japanese soldiers.
In describing the summer of 1945, Dukatz asked the audience, “Can you imagine the emotions we felt when they announced the Atom bomb had been dropped on Hiroshima and then Nagasaki?”
At the end of the program, 85-year-old Dukatz took up the mike and belted out a beautiful “God Bless America” duet with Joan Prather, state chairman of American history.
During Staats’ PowerPoint presentation, the Trident Squadron Sea Cadets of Point Mugu, who provided the color guard for the event, were seen scribbling the list of qualifications to apply for the SEALs and an apt description by Staats, of some of the training techniques. The young teen cadets snapped to attention when Staats shouted out the order, “Cadets, retire the colors!”
The immediate response, “Yes Sir!” was just a bit crisper after the talk.
Kaitlin Moore, who attends Our Lady of Malibu School, received the American History Essay Award for the 8th grade for “Memoirs of Paul Revere.”
In addition to Dukatz, 11 other Malibu women veterans attended Saturday’s event: Ann Simonitsch USAF, WWII; Marie Moseley USCG, WWII; Iris Coleman Hodges USMC, WWII; Katherine Williams USN, WWII; Bessie Rose USN, WWII; Carolyn Gorka USN, WWII; Carol Wohlgemuth USN NC, Career Veteran; Ann Losito USAF NC, Korean War; and Linda Howry U.S. Army NC.
A few brave men in attendance: Miles Rubin, U.S. Army, Korean War; Jerry Jackson, USAF, Vietnam Correspondent
More information about the DAR can be obtained online at www.darmalibu.wordpress.com