Vol. 119, No. 15 Oct.

8-10, 2018

100 Years of
Women in the
militarY
Veteran faculty, ROTC cadet reflect on milestone
By Lauren Lee “When I was little, I remember we the team at Penn State.
The Daily Collegian had a history lesson and they were “She’s been succeeding ever since
like, ‘This is the first person to do this.’ she joined the military,” Rizzo said. “I
For most angsty teens, a form of And I remember saying, ‘I want to be think she brings a different per-
rebellion would be skipping class and the first person to do some-
staying at home while their parents are spective as a female in the Army,
thing.’” and I think that she’s nothing but
working. April Santos, however, tried a On Oct. 27, Penn
different tactic. value added for our cadets to hear
State will dedicate the
While her parents were at work, about her experiences.”
football game against
18-year-old Santos secretly left for the Iowa State Hawk- Rizzo has been in charge of en-
Army basic training without telling eyes to celebrate wom- rolling students into the Army
them. en in the military such ROTC program since 2013. Cur-
But joining the Army was not a last- as Santos, a testament rently, there are 67 females out
minute decision for Santos. Inspired by to the “100 Years of of 275 total cadets, Rizzo said,
her brothers, who were in Texas’ Na- making it 25 percent
Women in the Armed
tional Guard, Santos remembers want- female.
Forces” milestone.
ing to join the military from the time
Eugene McFeely, “Our goal is
she was 6 years old.
the senior direc- to reflect
Santos was intrigued by her broth-
tor of Veterans Af- the
ers’ uniforms and secretly tried them
fairs and Services Army
on. After visiting one of her brothers,
at Penn State, said when
Santos said she was amazed by all the
the Military Appre- it comes
aircrafts and went home to tell her par-
ents that she wanted to join the mili- ciation Committee
Collegian Creative to gender
tary. chose to celebrate
diversity,” Rizzo
“They were like, ‘Absolutely not. women in the Armed Forces because it
was a “very relevant topic today” that said.
You’re a girl,’” Santos said. “The Army is just at 20 percent, so we
From then on, Santos secretly held “the vast majority can connect with.”
have a higher percentage rate than
onto her dream — without losing sight
of it.
‘I belonged somewhere’ the Army itself.”
Despite the percentage, Rizzo said
Santos, 35, is now a curriculum co- After finishing flight school, Santos
ordinator at Penn State’s Reserve Of- was stationed in Kansas and later de- the Army ROTC does not specifically
ficers’ Training Corps (ROTC). When ployed to Iraq as a medivac pilot. San- target a specific gender to join.
she isn’t teaching in a classroom, she’s tos was in charge of picking up injured “We don’t target females,” Rizzo
in her cubicle in the Wagner Building. soldiers and flying them to the hospital. said. “We target high performers.”
Santos’ desk is deco- One memory that sticks with Santos Although the military is embracing
rated with objects that “If you meet the to this day is when she more opportunities for women, San-
define who she is. A flag qualifications for finished a mission and tos does not want the requirements
of her home state, Tex- one soldier brought a for women to be “easier” or “different”
as, hangs behind her
the role, then you note to her window that
from the men.
desk. Photos of her “two ought to be afford- read: “Hey, thanks for
“I think we need more good women
sons” — her 14-year-old ed the opportunity taking care of my friend.”
“I felt like I was doing to not only show that we’re diverse, but
son Demitrius and her to compete for that
we belong here,” Santos said. “We add
German shepherd pup- position ... Diversity something important,
py — sit on her cabinet. like I belonged some- to the fight.”
The 37 medals she is the strength of where,” Santos said, “be-
achieved during her mil- our nation and of cause the whole time I ‘The wake-up call’
itary career lay neatly the military.” felt like I wasn’t contrib- In 1918, women were officially per-
organized on a custom- uting to anything until mitted to join the military during World
Kelly Wolgast that moment.”
ized shelf. On her cabi- Assistant Teaching Professor, War I. Over 30,000 women would be-
net is a miniature bust Assistant Dean As the only single mom come nurses and support staff during
of DC Comic character in her unit, Santos had a the war.
Harley Quinn, a nick- hard time finding a group For Kelly Wolgast, an assistant teach-
name she acquired in of people where she be- ing professor in nursing and assistant
Iraq. Her unit was commonly referred longed. Santos said she noticed some dean for online education and outreach
to as “The Jokers.” Santos made his- of her male peers did not know how to
at Penn State, there is no greater hon-
tory during her time with “The Jokers” act around her.
when she became the first female com- Army ROTC Scholarship and or than serving one’s country.
mander of the unit. Enrollment Officer David Rizzo
“It was overwhelming,” Santos said. said Santos is “a great asset” to See Military, Page 2.