 Living
In June 2008, Lt. Gen. Anne E. Dunwoody, the Deputy Commanding General of the Army Material Command, was nominated by President George W. Bush for promotion to four-star general, which will make her highest-ranking woman in military history. From Dunwoody's accomplishment, it is evident how drastically things have changed for military women over the years. Although women make up a smaller percentage of the Army force, women in leadership positions have become more common. The road has been paved and they continue to lead the way. When the 398th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, a Maryland Army Reserve unit, arrived to Iraq and took over the mission of the 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, it gained control of five companies whose missions combined extend support throughout Multi-National Divisions - Baghdad and Center. Of those five companies, two are led by young female officers who were unexpectedly hoisted into leadership positions, but continued to thrive and guide their organizations in the necessary direction to successfully complete their missions. "I don't necessarily think it's harder for women in positions of leadership," said 1st Lt. Celia Nowicki, the commander of the 503rd Maintenance Company, attached to the 398th CSSB, 1st Sustainment Brigade. "I think it was harder for them ten or 15 years ago; but with all of the advances, progression and active roles and efforts on their behalf, they have made it easier and more accepting in the workplace and in the military," continued Nowicki, a native of Cincinnati, OH. As the commander of the 503rd Maint. Co., a Fort Bragg, N.C., unit currently deployed to Iraq on a 15-month rotation, it is Nowicki's duty to make sure her unit successfully completes its wartime mission, which is to…Something is missing. After high school, Nowicki passed up a few softball scholarships and applied to go to West Point, the most prestigious military academy in the U.S. Upon graduating from the academy in 2006, she was on track to go to the World Class Athlete Program and serve a portion of her military obligation with the U.S. Team Handball, Women's National Team in New York. Instead of continuing to train with the team in hopes of going to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, she received orders to go to Fort Bragg, N.C., where she initially served with the 249th Quartermaster Company. In May 2007, Nowicki was assigned to the 503rd Maintenance Company and served as the platoon leader for the Supply Support Activity. In January 2008, she became the executive officer for the company. Before she had a chance to become comfortable in her new job as executive officer, she was assigned to a new duty position. In March 2008, less than a week before the unit departed for Iraq, she was appointed as the unit's new company commander. "I was nervous, but that's normal human emotion when you're named commander five days before your unit leaves to come to Iraq," Nowicki stated. "I've got a better grasp on it now. It was a little shaky those first 90 days, but I continue give that effort and praise to everyone else who has helped inform me and keep me in line with information. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be able to be as quality of a leader." Another leader in the 398th CSSB is Capt. DeShaunda Allen, the commander of the 62nd Quartermaster Co., out of Fort Hood, Texas. Although the unit has been in theater since January, Allen didn't take control of the unit until May. Despite receiving a new commander in the midst of their deployment, the Soldiers never lost their momentum and continued to give great customer service once Allen stepped in. The Soldiers in the unit are responsible for carrying out a bulk of the battalion's mission, which includes running the second largest bulk fuel farm in Iraq, managing the base's water bottle plant, operating the Class I point, and providing real-time route status information for combat logistics patrols. "All of the platoons are executing their missions superbly with limited resources, and I know that their performances are evidence of their forte and technical proficiency that make this organization exceptional," said Allen, a Dallas native. Although Allen is a commissioned officer, she began her Army career ten years ago as a private. It was during basic training that she found she would always have to prove herself as a leader. "Early on in my career in basic training, I had a male Soldier who refused to have to follow a female Soldier and that has stayed in my mind ever since," said Allen candidly. "I haven't been faced with challenges as of now though, because I see myself as an equal with my male counterparts." "I constantly speak with all the leaders in my organization for feedback on how they believe I am doing as a leader and they believe I am doing a great job. They are able to continue doing their missions and tasks as a leader because I have inspired them to give me 100 percent effort knowing they will receive 100 percent from me in return," stated Allen. Though Nowicki and Allen are new to command, they have led their units to successfully perform their wartime missions thus far. As deployment continues, they continue to learn and become more confident in their abilities to lead troops. "We have females that are moving up to the general position as well as higher ranking NCOs. I think that while there may be a select few who experience a more difficult task when they move into a leadership position, I think it's how they go about reacting to the natural things that come up that determine their confidence level and the perception of them by their peers, subordinates as well as their superiors with looking past who they are in terms of gender to the type of leader they are," Nowicki said. "Listen to your Soldiers and listen to those around you. If you don't listen to your Soldiers, then you won't be able to help them, your unit, or yourself as a commander or leader to help take the company to a greater level than when you received the it," Nowicki said. ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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