Our history books have yet to accurately reflect the major contributions that women have made in this country, including in the military. What is absent from the school curriculum is that women have been serving in the armed forces since the American Civil War.
The San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol spoke to three women with ties to the San Fernando Valley who have served in various roles and branches of the military.
Beatrice McGarry
Served in South Korea
U.S. Air Force, 1979-1983
Sylmar, 64
Beatrice McGarry is straightforward and strong, saying, “Military women are badass. There is no job they cannot do. Just like men, if a woman wants to step up and excel in a particular position, she should be able to do so. Women are strong and resilient, and they are committed to serving and defending our country.”
McGarry was a sergeant with the 6168 Combat Support Squadron, a unit responsible for managing logistics and supplies at the Taegu Air Base of the Republic of Korea Air Force, in the southeastern region of the country. McGarry was the only one from her unit to volunteer for a special mission flying in a helicopter to deliver equipment to a remote area. Notably, she was the only woman in her 12-member unit during a time when women were not officially authorized for combat roles.
It is challenging for women who serve in what are perceived as nontraditional roles in the workplace, especially in the military. In addition to discrimination, sexual harassment and abuse continue to be problems in the military, with many assaults going unreported for fear of reprisals. Female veterans cite a lack of accountability and support for victims.
McGarry addressed this serious issue and offered advice to service women who currently face abuse. “I’d tell them, ‘You need to get transferred to another base,’” she said, “because they’re not going to do anything for you.”
She added that the men accused of such acts would often receive only a mild reprimand, while the victims would face questioning about what they might have done to provoke the incident.
“Today, my advice is to seek help as soon as you can,” she said. “And if you don’t feel like you’re getting the right direction or assistance, keep going until you find someone because eventually there will be a male or female willing to assist you.”
Stephanie Rubin
Operation Iraqi Freedom
U.S. Army, 2000-2009
Sylmar, 44
Rubin said she is grateful to be alive after her service in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. “We were shot at on a daily basis,” she said. One gunshot that struck her Humvee landed just six inches short of striking her head. “I thought, Wow! It didn’t hit me, so that means it’s not my time.”
Her service instilled in Rubin a deep sense of pride and helped her recognize her potential. “My military experience has shaped who I am today and made me a strong, independent woman.” She initially aspired to become a police officer; however, her medical training in the Army led her to consider a path in medicine.
“I took a Combat Life Saver Course,” which she said included dressing wounds, setting up intravenous treatments and applying tourniquets. “I discovered that I enjoy helping people heal and recover.”
Rubin currently works as a nurse shift manager at Dignity Health’s California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles. She studied nursing at LA Valley College and later at CSUN, where she earned a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in registered nursing.
Jen Altamirano
Operation Iraqi Freedom
U.S. Army, 2006-2012
Lancaster, 37
Jen Altamirano joined the Army Reserve at 18 to remain close to her family in Southern California. However, not long after, she was sent to participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom. “I feel like it helped me mature and grow up really fast because I was in another country, far away from my family,” Altamirano said.
Altamirano said that more female representation in the Army makes sense. During her service, the veteran observed a growing representation of females in leadership roles, which she found comforting because it would allow her to address female concerns without having to deal with male staff. There were only 150 women in her supply specialist unit and 2,000 men.
Two years before completing her military service, she decided to pursue higher education with the help of the G.I. Bill, inspired and encouraged by a friend in her unit. “I had never thought of myself as college material,” she admitted. Now, she holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from California State University, Northridge and works at a Lancaster facility for the nonprofit organization Penny Lane Centers, which serves children, youth, and families.
Altamirano was in this year’s San Fernando Valley Veterans Day Parade for a third consecutive year. She rode alongside her uncle, Edward Landin, a Vietnam veteran who served as the parade’s grand marshal last year and has been involved in the annual tribute to veterans since its inception in 2004. She views her decision to join the military as a life-changing milestone.