TEDWomen 2015
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon: Meet the women fighting on the front lines of an American war
Filmed:
Readability: 3.5
1,180,525 views
In 2011, the US Armed Forces still had a ban on women in combat -- but in that year, a Special Operations team of women was sent to Afghanistan to serve on the front lines, to build rapport with locals and try to help bring an end to the war. Reporter Gayle Tzemach Lemmon tells the story of this "band of sisters," an extraordinary group of women warriors who helped break a long-standing barrier to serve.
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon - Reporter
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon writes about women around the world living their lives at war and in conflict zones. Full bio
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon writes about women around the world living their lives at war and in conflict zones. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
Every group of female friends
has the funny one,
has the funny one,
0
786
3593
00:16
the one you go to
when you need a good cry,
when you need a good cry,
1
4403
2739
00:19
the one who tells you to suck it up
when you've had a hard day.
when you've had a hard day.
2
7166
3328
00:22
And this group was no different.
3
10841
1952
00:25
Except that this was a community
of groundbreaking women
of groundbreaking women
4
13524
3655
00:29
who came together --
5
17203
1277
00:30
first to become teammates,
then friends, and then family --
then friends, and then family --
6
18480
3499
00:34
in the least likely of places:
7
22003
2521
00:36
on the Special Operations battlefield.
8
24548
2353
00:39
This was a group of women
whose friendship and valor was cemented
whose friendship and valor was cemented
9
27765
3237
00:43
not only by what they had seen
and done at the tip of the spear,
and done at the tip of the spear,
10
31026
4458
00:47
but by the fact that they were there
11
35508
1971
00:49
at a time when women --
officially, at least --
officially, at least --
12
37503
2518
00:52
remained banned from ground combat,
13
40045
2535
00:54
and America had no idea they existed.
14
42604
3705
00:59
This story begins
with Special Operations leaders,
with Special Operations leaders,
15
47546
2862
01:02
some of the most tested men
in the United States military, saying,
in the United States military, saying,
16
50432
3577
01:06
"We need women to help us wage this war."
17
54033
3335
01:10
"America would never kill its way
to the end of its wars," it argued.
to the end of its wars," it argued.
18
58358
3389
01:13
"Needed more knowledge
and more understanding."
and more understanding."
19
61771
2660
01:16
And as everyone knows,
20
64763
1456
01:18
if you want to understand what's happening
in a community and in a home,
in a community and in a home,
21
66243
3547
01:21
you talk to women,
22
69814
1573
01:23
whether you're talking about
Southern Afghanistan,
Southern Afghanistan,
23
71411
2690
01:26
or Southern California.
24
74125
1715
01:28
But in this case,
men could not talk to women,
men could not talk to women,
25
76558
2572
01:31
because in a conservative
and traditional society like Afghanistan,
and traditional society like Afghanistan,
26
79154
3399
01:34
that would cause grave offense.
27
82577
2208
01:36
So you needed women soldiers out there.
28
84809
2182
01:41
That meant, at this time in the war,
that the women who would be recruited
that the women who would be recruited
29
89045
3973
01:45
to serve alongside Army Rangers
and Navy SEALs,
and Navy SEALs,
30
93042
2863
01:47
would be seeing the kind of combat
experienced by less than five percent
experienced by less than five percent
31
95929
4460
01:52
of the entire United States military.
32
100413
2344
01:55
Less than five percent.
33
103579
1680
01:58
So the call went out.
34
106587
1534
02:00
"Female soldiers:
Become a part of history.
Become a part of history.
35
108145
2411
02:02
Join Special Operations
on the battlefield in Afghanistan."
on the battlefield in Afghanistan."
36
110580
4123
02:06
This is in 2011.
37
114727
1774
02:08
And from Alabama to Alaska,
38
116525
2189
02:10
a group of women who had always
wanted to do something that mattered
wanted to do something that mattered
39
118738
3933
02:14
alongside the best of the best,
40
122695
1978
02:16
and to make a difference
for their country,
for their country,
41
124697
2253
02:18
answered that call to serve.
42
126974
1985
02:22
And for them it was not about politics,
it was about serving with purpose.
it was about serving with purpose.
43
130294
5632
02:28
And so, the women who came
to North Carolina
to North Carolina
44
136858
2458
02:31
to compete for a spot on these teams
45
139340
2703
02:34
which would put women
on the Special Operations front lines,
on the Special Operations front lines,
46
142067
3197
02:37
landed and found
very quickly a community,
very quickly a community,
47
145288
3371
02:40
the likes of which they had never seen.
48
148659
2621
02:43
Full of women who were as fierce
and as fit as they were,
and as fit as they were,
49
151304
3568
02:46
and as driven to make a difference.
50
154896
1782
02:49
They didn't have to apologize
for who they were,
for who they were,
51
157128
2439
02:51
and in fact, they could celebrate it.
52
159591
2000
02:54
And what they found when they were there
was that all of a sudden,
was that all of a sudden,
53
162589
4117
02:58
there were lots of people like them.
54
166706
2037
03:01
As one of them said,
55
169501
1365
03:02
"It was like you looked
around and realized
around and realized
56
170890
2046
03:04
there was more
than one giraffe at the zoo."
than one giraffe at the zoo."
57
172960
2240
03:09
Among this team of standouts was Cassie,
58
177212
2717
03:11
a young woman who managed to be
an ROTC cadet, a sorority sister
an ROTC cadet, a sorority sister
59
179953
4470
03:16
and a Women's Studies minor,
all in one person.
all in one person.
60
184447
2628
03:20
Tristan, a West Point track star,
who always ran and road marched
who always ran and road marched
61
188385
4586
03:24
with no socks,
62
192995
1237
03:26
and had shoes whose smell proved it.
63
194256
2150
03:28
(Laughter)
64
196430
1443
03:29
Amber, a Heidi look-alike, who had
always wanted to be in the infantry,
always wanted to be in the infantry,
65
197897
3974
03:33
and when she found out
that women couldn't be,
that women couldn't be,
66
201895
2476
03:36
she decided to become an intel officer.
67
204395
2646
03:39
She served in Bosnia,
68
207626
1230
03:40
and later helped the FBI
to bust drug gangs in Pennsylvania.
to bust drug gangs in Pennsylvania.
69
208880
3565
03:44
And then there was Kate,
who played high school football
who played high school football
70
212979
3479
03:48
all four years,
71
216482
1212
03:49
and actually wanted to drop out
after the first,
after the first,
72
217718
2582
03:52
to go into the glee club,
73
220324
1477
03:53
but when boys told her
that girls couldn't play football,
that girls couldn't play football,
74
221825
2883
03:56
she decided to stay
75
224732
1257
03:58
for all the little girls
who would come after her.
who would come after her.
76
226013
2790
04:02
For them, biology had shaped
part of their destiny,
part of their destiny,
77
230268
2681
04:04
and put, as Cassie once said,
78
232973
2082
04:07
"everything noble
out of reach for girls."
out of reach for girls."
79
235079
2492
04:10
And yet, here was a chance
to serve with the best of the best
to serve with the best of the best
80
238353
3296
04:13
on a mission that mattered
to their country,
to their country,
81
241673
2060
04:15
not despite the fact
that they were female,
that they were female,
82
243757
2675
04:18
but because of it.
83
246456
1383
04:20
This team of women, in many ways,
was like women everywhere.
was like women everywhere.
84
248769
3967
04:24
They wore makeup, and in fact,
85
252760
1571
04:26
they would bond in the ladies' room
over eyeliner and eye pencil.
over eyeliner and eye pencil.
86
254355
3445
04:30
They also wore body armor.
87
258531
1635
04:32
They would put 50 pounds
of weight on their backs,
of weight on their backs,
88
260543
2388
04:34
and board the helicopter for an operation,
89
262955
2026
04:37
and they would come back and watch
a movie called "Bridesmaids."
a movie called "Bridesmaids."
90
265005
3032
04:40
(Laughter)
91
268061
1851
04:41
They even wore a thing called Spanx,
92
269936
2709
04:44
because, as they found very quickly,
93
272669
1940
04:46
the uniforms made for men were
big where they should be small,
big where they should be small,
94
274633
3892
04:50
and small where they should be big.
95
278549
2050
04:52
So Lane, an Iraq War veteran --
you see her here on my left --
you see her here on my left --
96
280623
3537
04:56
decided she was going to go on Amazon
97
284184
2056
04:58
and order a pair of Spanx to her base,
98
286264
2119
05:00
so that her pants would fit better
when she went out on mission each night.
when she went out on mission each night.
99
288407
3752
05:04
These women would get together
over video conference
over video conference
100
292822
2425
05:07
from all around Afghanistan
from their various bases,
from their various bases,
101
295247
2481
05:09
and they would talk about what it was like
102
297728
2008
05:11
to be one of the only women
doing what they were doing.
doing what they were doing.
103
299760
2651
05:14
They would swap jokes,
104
302435
1177
05:15
they would talk about
what was working, what wasn't,
what was working, what wasn't,
105
303636
2452
05:18
what they had learned to do well,
what they needed to do better.
what they needed to do better.
106
306112
3047
05:21
And they would talk about
some of the lighter moments of being women
some of the lighter moments of being women
107
309183
3423
05:24
out on the Special Operations front lines,
108
312630
2492
05:27
including the Shewee,
109
315146
1365
05:28
which was a tool
that let you pee like a guy,
that let you pee like a guy,
110
316535
2315
05:30
although it's said to have had only
a 40 percent accuracy rate out there.
a 40 percent accuracy rate out there.
111
318874
4428
05:35
(Laughter)
112
323326
3091
05:38
These women lived in the "and."
113
326441
2000
05:41
They proved you could be fierce
and you could be feminine.
and you could be feminine.
114
329139
3162
05:44
You could wear mascara and body armor.
115
332325
2872
05:47
You could love CrossFit,
and really like cross-stitch.
and really like cross-stitch.
116
335221
4056
05:51
You could love to climb out of helicopters
and you could also love to bake cookies.
and you could also love to bake cookies.
117
339301
4758
05:56
Women live in the and every single day,
118
344578
3429
06:00
and these women brought that
to this mission as well.
to this mission as well.
119
348031
3049
06:04
On this life and death battlefield
they never forgot
they never forgot
120
352547
2609
06:07
that being female may have brought them
to the front lines,
to the front lines,
121
355466
3091
06:10
but being a soldier is what would
prove themselves there.
prove themselves there.
122
358581
2777
06:14
There was the night Amber went
out on mission,
out on mission,
123
362272
2164
06:16
and in talking to the women of the house,
124
364460
1970
06:18
realized that there was
a barricaded shooter lying in wait
a barricaded shooter lying in wait
125
366454
2825
06:21
for the Afghan and American forces
who were waiting to enter the home.
who were waiting to enter the home.
126
369303
3532
06:25
Another night it was Tristan
who found out
who found out
127
373418
2795
06:28
that there were pieces
that make up explosives
that make up explosives
128
376237
2164
06:30
all around the house
in which they were standing,
in which they were standing,
129
378425
2297
06:32
and that in fact, explosives lay
all the way between there
all the way between there
130
380746
2779
06:35
and where they were
about to head that night.
about to head that night.
131
383549
2488
06:38
There was the night another one
of their teammates proved herself
of their teammates proved herself
132
386061
3071
06:41
to a decidedly skeptical team of SEALs,
133
389156
2467
06:43
when she found the intel item
they were looking for
they were looking for
134
391647
2396
06:46
wrapped up in a baby's wet diaper.
135
394067
2262
06:49
And there was the night that Isabel,
another one of their teammates,
another one of their teammates,
136
397309
3237
06:52
found the things
that they were looking for,
that they were looking for,
137
400570
2098
06:54
and received an Impact Award
from the Rangers
from the Rangers
138
402692
2116
06:56
who said that without her,
139
404832
1726
06:58
the things and the people
they were looking for that night
they were looking for that night
140
406582
2754
07:01
would never have been found.
141
409360
1424
07:03
That night and so many others,
142
411553
1828
07:05
they went out to prove themselves,
not only for one another,
not only for one another,
143
413405
3113
07:08
but for everybody
who would come after them.
who would come after them.
144
416520
2292
07:11
And also for the men
alongside whom they served.
alongside whom they served.
145
419519
2787
07:15
We talk a lot about how
behind every great man is a good woman.
behind every great man is a good woman.
146
423209
4739
07:20
And in this case,
147
428354
1157
07:21
next to these women stood men
who wanted to see them succeed.
who wanted to see them succeed.
148
429535
3238
07:25
The Army Ranger who trained them
had served 12 deployments.
had served 12 deployments.
149
433666
3148
07:29
And when they told him
that he had to go train girls,
that he had to go train girls,
150
437406
2994
07:32
he had no idea what to expect.
151
440424
2352
07:35
But at the end of eight days with these
women in the summer of 2011,
women in the summer of 2011,
152
443361
4330
07:39
he told his fellow Ranger,
"We have just witnessed history.
"We have just witnessed history.
153
447715
4421
07:44
These may well be
our own Tuskegee Airmen."
our own Tuskegee Airmen."
154
452160
2624
07:49
(Applause)
155
457666
6336
07:56
At the heart of this team
was the one person
was the one person
156
464390
2626
07:59
who everyone called "the best of us."
157
467040
2148
08:01
She was a petite blonde dynamo,
158
469675
2465
08:04
who barely reached five-foot-three.
159
472164
2064
08:06
And she was this wild mix
of Martha Stewart,
of Martha Stewart,
160
474772
3131
08:09
and what we know as G.I. Jane.
161
477927
2000
08:12
She was someone who loved
to make dinner for her husband,
to make dinner for her husband,
162
480665
2824
08:15
her Kent State ROTC sweetheart
who pushed her to be her best,
who pushed her to be her best,
163
483513
4103
08:19
and to trust herself,
164
487640
1329
08:20
and to test every limit she could.
165
488993
2230
08:23
She also loved to put 50 pounds of weight
on her back and run for miles,
on her back and run for miles,
166
491944
4170
08:28
and she loved to be a soldier.
167
496138
1921
08:31
She was somebody who had a bread maker
in her office in Kandahar,
in her office in Kandahar,
168
499080
3234
08:34
and would bake a batch of raisin bread,
and then go to the gym
and then go to the gym
169
502338
2932
08:37
and bust out 25 or 30 pull-ups
from a dead hang.
from a dead hang.
170
505294
2791
08:41
She was the person who, if you needed
an extra pair of boots
an extra pair of boots
171
509092
2901
08:44
or a home-cooked dinner,
would be on your speed dial.
would be on your speed dial.
172
512017
2955
08:47
Because she never, ever would talk to you
173
515404
2238
08:49
about how good she was,
174
517666
1151
08:50
but let her character speak
through action.
through action.
175
518841
2208
08:54
She was famous for taking the hard right
over the easy wrong.
over the easy wrong.
176
522450
5636
09:00
And she was also famous
for walking up to a 15-foot rope,
for walking up to a 15-foot rope,
177
528487
3390
09:03
climbing it using only her arms,
178
531901
2160
09:06
and then shuffling away and apologizing,
179
534085
2001
09:08
because she knew she was supposed
to use both her arms and her legs,
to use both her arms and her legs,
180
536110
3390
09:11
as the Rangers had trained them.
181
539524
1697
09:13
(Laughter)
182
541245
1876
09:15
Some of our heroes return home
to tell their stories.
to tell their stories.
183
543145
3303
09:19
And some of them don't.
184
547346
1612
09:21
And on October 22, 2011,
185
549958
2545
09:24
First Lieutenant Ashley White was killed
alongside two Rangers,
alongside two Rangers,
186
552527
3568
09:28
Christopher Horns
187
556119
1355
09:29
and Kristoffer Domeij.
188
557498
1356
09:31
Her death threw this program built
for the shadows
for the shadows
189
559998
3249
09:35
into a very public spotlight.
190
563271
2027
09:37
Because after all,
191
565322
1153
09:38
the ban on women in combat
was still very much in place.
was still very much in place.
192
566499
3167
09:42
And at her funeral,
193
570856
1414
09:44
the head of Army Special Operations came,
and gave a public testimony
and gave a public testimony
194
572294
4428
09:48
not just to the courage of Ashley White,
195
576722
2215
09:50
but to all her team of sisters.
196
578961
2000
09:53
"Make no mistake about it," he said,
"these women are warriors,
"these women are warriors,
197
581746
4428
09:58
and they have written a new chapter
in what it means to be a female
in what it means to be a female
198
586198
3316
10:01
in the United States Army."
199
589538
1918
10:04
Ashley's mom is a teacher's aide
and a school bus driver,
and a school bus driver,
200
592989
3678
10:08
who bakes cookies on the side.
201
596691
1904
10:11
She doesn't remember much
about that overwhelming set of days,
about that overwhelming set of days,
202
599340
3182
10:14
in which grief -- enormous grief --
203
602546
2769
10:17
mixed with pride.
204
605339
1283
10:19
But she does remember one moment.
205
607359
2000
10:21
A stranger with a child
in her hand came up to her
in her hand came up to her
206
609913
3406
10:25
and she said, "Mrs. White,
207
613343
2682
10:28
I brought my daughter here today,
208
616049
2298
10:30
because I wanted her to know
what a hero was.
what a hero was.
209
618371
2689
10:34
And I wanted her to know
that heroes could be women, too."
that heroes could be women, too."
210
622490
4024
10:39
It is time to celebrate
all the unsung heroines
all the unsung heroines
211
627749
3614
10:43
who reach into their guts
212
631387
1749
10:45
and find the heart and the grit
to keep going and to test every limit.
to keep going and to test every limit.
213
633136
4241
10:50
This very unlikely band of sisters
bound forever in life and afterward
bound forever in life and afterward
214
638100
5720
10:55
did indeed become part of history,
215
643844
2322
10:58
and they paved the way for so many
who would come after them,
who would come after them,
216
646190
3131
11:01
as much as they stood on the shoulders
of those who had come before.
of those who had come before.
217
649345
4230
11:06
These women showed that warriors come
in all shapes and sizes.
in all shapes and sizes.
218
654303
4145
11:11
And women can be heroes, too.
219
659454
2300
11:14
Thank you so much.
220
662648
1152
11:15
(Applause)
221
663824
6126
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon - ReporterGayle Tzemach Lemmon writes about women around the world living their lives at war and in conflict zones.
Why you should listen
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon never set out to write about women entrepreneurs. After leaving ABC News for MBA study at Harvard, she was simply looking for a great -- and underreported -- economics story. What she found was women entrepreneurs in some of the toughest business environments creating jobs against daunting obstacles. Since then her writing on entrepreneurship has been published by the International Herald Tribune and Financial Times along with the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation.
Now a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, Lemmon continues to travel the world reporting on economic and development issues with a focus on women. She is the author of Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield (2014), as well as the best seller The Dressmaker of Khair Khana (2011) about a young entrepreneur who supported her community under the Taliban.
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon | Speaker | TED.com