<
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-24/women-veterans-service-challenged-as-prepare-to-mark-anzac-day/102254722>
'Women now make up 20 per cent of Australia's armed forces but ex-servicewomen
marching on Anzac Day say they are routinely asked who they are marching for.
Squadron Leader Del Gaudry retired from the Air Force just last week after a
career spanning 47 years.
At last year's Anzac Day march in Sydney, she witnessed an elderly woman
veteran being challenged.
"She had her medals on and someone asked her who she was marching for and she
was quite indignant and she said 'I am marching for myself'," she said.
Ms Gaudry said it was not uncommon for female veterans to be told they're
wearing their medals on the wrong side.
"We are still having issues on Anzac Day where women are being asked or
sometimes demanded to take their medals off their left-hand chest side."
Military custom dictates medals can only be worn on the left if the person has
earnt them themselves.
Women veterans said it's often wrongly assumed that they're wearing medals for
their father, husband or son.'
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
