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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 26, 2002)
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Its. vsith Lh ind nme nt nine a I salcts ct ucients go ndustml« analysts,'' M most grx\ L* 10 <fc) ff which tBi nt of Em - lational Ha Aggielife The Battalion Page 3A • Thursday, September 26, 2002 Ma’am, yes ma’am Wemale students work to find their places in the Corps of Cadets By Kelcey Reiger I THE BATTALION ssica Richardson, a junior English major and aember of Company P-2, decided to join the ’orps of Cadets because she wanted to be to make a difference in people’s lives and take advantage of the leadership opportunities. “The connections ! make with people in the Corps now are connections that I will carry with me after college and possibly through my entire life,” Richardson said. “I am part of the living history and the lifeblood of A&M and the things I do now directly affect the lives of my subordinates, both spiritually and morally. As a member of the Corps, I help keep the traditions and the camaraderie, which are the heart and soul of this school, alive and well.” WS IN 6 , iy strike - i of com* 4 (AP) - C- o get boric ig anotbe: and a Ixfif' the $k‘: Tube wx: , and Biter e to worn. he bad ok in d Uoi millions director Cr tion of 's mo\: it relk i Indi. slACAR noved r / to press ng in wt- en killed T ?mple. li aising ne le hostile'^ said it‘S- i the gunrr Marching in my first football game freshman year was a great experience. There is something about inarching down a street lined with people and knowing they are all watching you. — Jessica Richardson junior Corps of Cadets member Women were first admitted into the Corps of Cadets in 1974. Since then, a woman’s role as a cadet has become an increasingly integral part of the Corps and its history. Although women in the Corps have struggled to be considered equals in the male-dominated organization, women have found their place and have taken pride in their role in the Corps. Richardson said a woman’s experience in the Corps can be slightly different than a male cadet’s since there are fewer women in the Corps. Women are sometimes held to higher standards, she said. pi‘‘When we make mistakes, we are more like ly to stand out simply because people take a specific interest in women in the Corps,” Richardson said. “We are constantly under the microscope. This can be a good thing, however, bec ause it gives us a chance to represent the Corps in a a special way.” BAlthough being a woman in the Corps can be different in many ways, women in the Corps expe rience the same exciting experiences as their male counterparts. “Marching in my first football game my freshman year was a great experience,” Richardson said. “There is something about marching down a street lined with people and knowing they are all watching you. That makes you straighten your shoulders and raise your chin a little higher. It was then that the knowl edge of what I was doing really hit me — I was following in the footsteps of thousands of cadets who had passed under the reviewing stands before me.” A cadet’s first march-in can be a memorable experience for any member of the Corps, but Richardson said there are some people who would prefer not to see women participating in march-in or the Corps. Richardson said, “I think the treatment of women in the Corps has greatly improved and will continue to improve over the years, but I know that we do still have a long way to go. “I, unfortunately, cannot honestly say that I never experienced problems with people both in and out of the Corps who believe that women do not have a place in the Corps.” “These incidents, however, are few and far between, and the overwhelming majority of male cadets treat females equally, hold them to the same standards and give them the same amount of respect as male cadets.” Female cadets may experience criticism for their involvement in the Corps, but male cadet David Torres Jr., a senior construction science major and member of A-Battery in the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, said the criticisms are unneccesary. He said cadets need to acknowl edge the benefits of having women in their outfits. “I believe it is a good idea to have females in the Corps,” Torres said. “It can be a good learn ing experience on how to work with the female gender. There are many cadets who are going to be commissioned into the military and they are going to have superior officers that are going to be female. So why not get used to working with (women in the Corp) now?” Emily Porterfield, a senior recreation, parks and tourism sciences major and member of Squadron 16, said most men do not know how to treat women in the Corps. “They (men) either degrade (women) because they feel threatened or they may treat them too nice because they don’t want to mis treat them,” Porterfield said. “Either way most girls are treated differently by the guys and resentment builds accordingly.” Porterfield said although male cadets may treat the female cadets a little differently, the Corps, in general, treats females equally. “I feel it is a privilege to be one of the few ih. < x>py Olid ioio FxJiwf ,n. rhoioM* .1. Grjplik 5 ^ 3 Radio Produtf through W* “ 1 , n g the suin'*'; ersity Period^ changes to It* t:; 11. t Texas ASM Ur ‘ ilism Ne»s c . Fax: 845-264' ' p or endorse!* ; ,11 84 5-2696 fd ed McDonald.*' i. xasASMsludd , 25< Mad sot'- Oforthesum 1 *;. :press, call 845‘‘ Take Kaplan. Score higher. Enroll in an LSAT, GMAT, GRE, MCAT, DAT or OAT* course between September 9 - 30,2002 to save $ 75. Visit your local center or call 1-800-KAP-TEST today! I 03 E I £3 1 So Test prep, admissions and guidance. For life. Carrie carter • THE BATTALION Freshman Corps member and Animal Science major Shawna Adams waits to march into Kyle Field on Saturday afternoon. She is a member of Company V-l. girls on campus wearing a uniform.” Porterfield said. “1 like the extra challenge of the Corps and 1 really enjoy the military lifestyle. 1 didn’t want to look back 20 years from now and wonder, ‘what if...?’” Although adversity is a common hurdle in a woman’s experience in the Corps, there are quite a few advantages to being a woman in the Corps. “My favorite part about being in the Corps is the challenges I have faced that have strengthened my character and the many friends I have made along the way,” Porterfield said. For Denise Phillips, a senior business administration major and member of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, being in the Corps has been an asset to her personal development. “I joined the Corps because I wanted to be in the band. But, in the process I became a more outgoing person and now I am able to confront people and meet people because the confidence in myself has improved.” Phillips said being a woman in the Corps has its incentives when it comes to the little things. “Female cadets do have the option of keep ing their hair long, as long as it is above the collar when in uniform,” Phillips said. “And we also have our own bathroom with a lock, which comes in handy when living with hundreds of guys. 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