<p>I left the Navy because it was too hard to be part of a society of warriors without getting to BE one of the warriors. I’d always be a second class citizen. I say this even though my commanders and my shipmates were really enlightened. They respected me and let me do my job (aviation maintenance officer). I was the first female officer in my squadron to work in the maintenance shops, the first to go out on the aircraft carriers to do a real job (detachment maint. officer), not just sightsee or stand watch in the readyroom. My boss was an LDO (mustang) with 27 years in. He treated me just like any other JO and never restricted my opportunities because of my gender. How lucky was that? Still, I couldn’t make a cruise. Rather than get rotated to some stupid non-aviation job overseas, I got out. I’d worked too hard to get good at what I did to be shunted aside when it was time to go to sea in harm’s way. I was qualified. It’s cool that womens’ opportunities have expanded, but it’s too bad that gender still keeps qualified women from being allowed to do a job. Hehe, my best friend from HS was a 5’10" girl with amazing strength, speed, and aggressiveness. She played Bball on the boys team. I think she could’ve served in the infantry easily!</p>