Teach, Coach, and Mentor!

Here is one thing I know is true. At 52 (blech) I would not be half the woman I am without having been exposed to great women. I had the privilege of serving in the US Army for eight years. The thing that was so great about that was the constant exposure to women who lived their lives with integrity, character, and skill....and they were self assured enough to share those traits. I have been fortunate enough to have found myself in positions where I have been able to share that skill with other women. I ended up marrying a military man and he rose pretty high up in rank (CSM). Since my husband was in Special Forces, he was gone more often than he was home, as were all the guys in his unit. I'd often get phone calls from some of the younger wives who weren't dealing with the separations too well. They tended to be nervous at night and, through no fault of their own, lacked the confidence they needed to carry on with life while their husband was gone. I took many of them to the range, helped them pick out a handgun, and encouraged them to develop muscle memory with their firearm of choice. A good majority of them kept it up and I think it had a positive impact on their quality of life. Who are the women that inspire you?
What do you do to pass that on?

Same here. My time in the US Army was a time in my life that I embraced fully and still refer back to when it comes to everyday life. Many of the skills I learned there help get me through the rough times. Integrity and character are traits that easily identify prior military. I am now actively involved with my local chapter of The Well Armed Woman and am doing my best to empower the women of my community. The women that I have met there inspire me to be a better woman, and I hope I do the same for them. I recommend to all women of this great nation to find their local chapter, get involved, and empower their communities as well. It's an amazing experience!

Just as an aside, if you are prior military, and you served in Iraq or Afghanistan, it's important you register with the "Gulf War Registry". You never know when your time in service can result in a medical condition later on in life, many things are what is called "Presumptive Conditions". You might end up qualifying for benefits!

Those are inspiring stories. I am sitting here still searching for kleenex after just having received my first letter home from Army boot camp from my daughter. She is doing very well, and I am SOOOOO proud of her.