Special guest at an annual luncheon honoring military women speaks about her tour of duty in Iraq.
By Melonie Magruder / Special to The Malibu Times
The military contributions of women in United States history have not always received due recognition. As Marjorie Dukatz, moderator of Saturday’s 10th Annual Women in the Military Luncheon, said, “Over 38 women pilots were killed during World War II, but their sacrifice was not officially recognized until 1964.”
Dukatz served as a corporal in the Marine Corps during World War II.
The Malibu Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution annual luncheon is held to remember and honor women in the military.
DAR was formed in 1890 by 18 women who had a desire to serve their community and has since welcomed more than 800,000 members, all of whom could trace their family lineage to a colonist who fought the British in the American Revolution.
Saturday’s luncheon, which took place at the Malibu Riding & Tennis Club, included several veterans who served in all branches of the military in World War II, as well as Petty Officer, 1st Class Kristi Thrift, an active duty Naval corps woman, who currently serves with the 40th Naval Mobile Construction Battalion in Iraq.
The present day military assigns women to all levels of duty, including some that traditionally were performed only by men.
“My recruiter was surprised when I selected construction,” Thrift said. “I guess I liked to show them I could live up to the challenge.”
Thrift was born in Littlerock, Calif. and joined the Navy in 1996.
“After high school, I didn’t want to go to college, but my father wouldn’t let me just sit home and milk him, either,” she said. “I got a set of luggage for a graduation present.”
She has served far away places such as Okinawa, Japan and, most recently, Iraq, in east Ramadi and Fallujah.
“I was assigned to construction of dining facilities that can withstand mortar rounds,” she said. “We did this under continual mortar and small arms fire. So you have to wear full gear all the time. Forty pounds with your Kevlar [body armor], helmet and boots. It’s 125 degrees and you sweat. I lost 35 pounds. The Iraqi weight-loss plan; I recommend it for anyone.”
Thrift said her unit had “lost a couple of guys” and that there were two Purple Heart recipients.
“Women are right in there with the guys. And it’s not glamorous. I had a close call standing right next to the Port-O-Potty,” Thrift said. “A mortar round came in about 15 yards away and blew dirt all over us. At least I wasn’t in the Port-O-Potty.”
In a conservative Muslim society that shields its women from public view, American enlisted women are in a sensitive position when working with Iraqi nationals. As a construction battalion petty officer, Thrift was involved in training Iraqi soldiers.
“Iraqi men are very uncomfortable around us,” Thrift said. “But I always have another male soldier with me. And my rifle with 16 rounds of ammo.”
When asked if American male soldiers have a problem working with women in the field in Iraq, Thrift grinned: “The military has a chain of command structure for that. There’s no problem.”
Thrift didn’t hesitate when asked about morale of the troops in the field.
“Morale is great,” she said. “We work seven days a week and get a lot done.”
She was more noncommittal when asked about the current national division over the progress of the war. “There are so many different opinions and I can’t speak for the whole military. I’ll just say we are doing a lot of good things.”
Thrift said her unit in Iraq thrives on word from home, whether through letters, care packages or e-mail communication.
“We really like to hear about support from kids. Sometimes, the mail trucks are blown up and we don’t get our letters from home.”
Thrift will be returning to Iraq in September. In the meantime, she is spending as much time as possible with her husband and two-year-old daughter, acknowledging that leaving a young child is very tough.
“But my husband takes care of her when I am overseas,” she said.
After 10 years of service, Thrift is career Navy.
“I always wanted to serve my country,” she said. “There’s no turning back now.”
The DAR also recognized the importance of youthful service, honoring Malibu students Sloan Campi with a Good Citizenship Award and Erin Johnson for her essay on historical Jamestown.
Veterans in attendance on Saturday who served during World Ward II included Mary and Cy Bauer, Carolyn Gorka, Helen Monnier, Kathryn Williams, Carol Wohlggemuth, Toni Young and Otto Young of the U.S. Navy, Iris Coleman-Hodges, U.S. Marine Corps, Marie Moseley, U.S. Coast Guard, and Jerry Jackson and Ann Simonitsch of the U.S. Air Force.