The UMass Boston Veterans Center presented Women in the Military: A Female Perspective, a discussion given by Commander Marybeth O’Sullivan at the Campus Center Ballroom on Tuesday, March 23.

Commander O’Sullivan began her talk by providing a bit of family history. She spoke with obvious pride about her five children whose ages range between thirteen and thirty. According to O’Sullivan, several of her children have chosen careers in the Navy including a daughter, a Navy nurse married to a Navy doctor. She also shared with the audience that two of her sons are serving in Iraq.

The Commander wove a theme of women’s service and sacrifice for their country into her speech. She reminded the audience of the honorable achievements that women, in and out of military service, have rendered to their nation.

O’Sullivan cited that female service began on hospital ships during the Spanish American War. She noted with pride the 20,000 women who served in World War One, 200 of whom died during service to their country. O’Sullivan further spoke of the role that women played in the Second World War, the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, Bosnia and Somalia, as well as the female role in the current war on terror.

“They all served bravely,” she said of both the male and female members of the military.

The speech paid further homage to the women who died in the terrorist attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. O’Sullivan offered that these women, “died because of how they lived.”

O’Sullivan further honored the 200,000 women currently on active military duty and the 212,000 in the National Guard. Commander O’Sullivan said that these women “make a difference wherever they serve.”

She also referenced women who have historically served the country in non-military capacities. She spoke of the women who fought for suffrage, and the key role that the female voice played during the civil rights movements as testaments to that assertion.

She relayed experiences with men and women she had met in a spinal injury unit at the Veterans Hospital in Brockton. During the course of her visit, O’Sullivan witnessed an inspirational scene of veterans helping each other as they worked to rebuild their bodies.

“Academics and hope are back on these veterans’ radar screens,” said O’Sullivan. She continued that service men and women who became crippled while serving in the military are “proof that duty and sacrifice are more than words for soldiers and veterans.”

After noting the educational and training opportunities that a military career can provide for women, Commander O’Sullivan said that the position of women in the military has improved over the years. She said that the changes that the Navy has instituted have even led to improvements for women in corporate and government positions.

O’Sullivan closed citing America as a nation that loves peace and has been able to enjoy the benefits of peace in large part as a result of the women and men who have served in the various branches of the United States military.

“The fruit of love is service, the fruit of service is peace,” said Commander O’Sullivan, quoting Mother Theresa.

Louis Colon, the Coordinator of the UMB Veteran’s Center was happy with the event’s outcome. “The Commander did an awesome job. For women’s month, we want to show that women are fighting for our country. History shows they have been doing so for a long time.”