Monday Column By Hameed M. Bello, PhD
hamdbelo@yahoo.co.uk
The story of Brigadier General Amanda Azubuike, a Nigerian-American, currently serving in the United States of America’s Army is worth retelling again and again. This is not just because she is the only female soldier to have accomplished that feat, because there are several other women serving in other elite Armed Forces across the world who are giving a good account of themselves. Amanda’s is however a moving story of accomplishment, of hard work, resilience and passion for her chosen career in a white-dominated environment outside her native countries of origin in Africa. She is black, but it does not matter to the US Army, or so it seems, as long as she has what it takes to add value to the Army. Her examples certainly serve as sources of inspiration to other black women in Africa and elsewhere in the world. Azubuike has proved that leadership in service of the battlefield and country is not the exclusive preserve of the menfolk, that women too can compete favorably in that male-dominated field of endeavor requiring brute force and machismo.
The role of women in a country’s army varies depending on local cultural practices and unique defence needs. Historically, fighting roles for women were limited, but a full range of roles seem to be opening up for female combatants in many countries around the world.
In China for instance, The National Council for Social Studies reported in 1994 that women make up 4.5% of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). This was confirmed by China Military Online, which gave a 2015 estimate of “approximately 5% or less”, suggesting just 53,000 women serve in China’s Army.
India’s Army totals 1.2 million active personnel, according to The Economic Times. Women make up 3% of the army, or 36,000, says New Delhi Television. However, women only serve in non-combat, support roles, such as medical and logistical positions.
The North Korean People’s Ground Force has 950,000 active army personnel, says Forces Network. The Force has universal conscription for men and selective conscription for women. Women serve for a maximum of six years and men for ten, so women could make up around 40% of the army, amounting to an estimated 380,000.
The Pakistan Army has 560,000 troops, says The International Institute For Strategic Studies (IISS). This is out of a total active military of 653,800 personnel.
The Express Tribune reported 4,000 women in Pakistan’s armed forces in 2013. Recruits were reportedly mostly consigned to medical work and desk jobs, as women are banned from ground combat in the country. By extrapolation, there are around 3,400 women serving in the Pakistani Army.
In South Korea, according to United Press International (UPI), 6,915 women serve in the Republic of Korea Army, which The National Interest says has a total of 560,000 troops. According to UPI, the government plans to increase the proportion of women serving in senior positions to 7% by 2020. Currently, they make up 5.5% of senior military ranks.
In Russia, according to IISS, women comprise 10% of the Russian Armed Forces. Known as the Ground Force of the Russian Federation, the army totals 350,000, says the Defense Intelligence Agency. This means that there could be around 35,000 women serving in the Russian Army.
And back to the US, it has an active duty army of 476,000, according to GlobalSecurity.org. CNN put the number of women serving at 74,000, which equates to around 16%. Women have served in the US Army since the American Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1783, including serving as spies. Task and Purpose also said that 400,000 women served in non-combat roles during the Second World War, with hundreds serving as field intelligence agents. Of these, 88 were taken as prisoners and 16 killed in action. Approximately 11,000 women were deployed to Vietnam from 1962 to 1972 and 41,000 sent to Iraq in 1991.
The American Civil Liberties Union overturned a ban against women serving on ships in the 1970s. In 2013, the union reported that the ban on women in ground combat had also been lifted. In 2016, all combat positions were made available to women. Fox News reported US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta as saying: “It’s clear to all of us that women are contributing in unprecedented ways to the military’s mission of defending the nation.”
Amanda Azubuike was promoted, early November, from Lieutenant Colonel to Brigadier General of the United States Army at a military base in Fort Knox, Kentucky, USA. Out of 1.2 million men and women of the US Army, only 300 were recently reported to have made it to the high ranking positions of which Amanda Azubuike was among.
Amanda was born in the UK to an Igbo father from Ideato in Imo state and a Zimbabwean mother. Both parents are said to be late according to an account.
The black US female General had joined the US Army in 1994 and became an aviator after passing the Army Aviation Officer Basic Course.
Commenting on her leadership qualities, US Army Futures Command Commander, General James Rainey, was reported to have said that Azubuike “makes everyone around her better.” After her aviation career, which spanned 11 years, she continued her career in the Army as a public affairs and relations officer.
Azubuike currently serves as a Deputy Commanding Officer at the US Army Cadet Command and had previously served as a Chief of Staff/Senior Military Advisor at the Office of the Secretary of Defense. She was also Chief of Public Affairs at the United States Southern Command, Fort Lauderdale Area, and the Director of Public Affairs, Joint Force HQs-National Capital Region/Military District of Washington. She also served as a Communications Consultant for the National Football League Players Association and a Public Relations staff for the NFL franchise, the Washington Redskins.
Apart from her Army qualifications, Gen. Azubuike has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communication/Media Studies from the University of Central Arkansas, a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, and a Master of Professional Studies, Public Relations/Corporate Communications from Georgetown University.
General Azubuike had encouraged Nigerians who have a passion for joining the United States army to contact her, saying that there are many opportunities in the US army, which she said could help anyone achieve their dream.
Reports also cited Azubuike as sharing the story of how she joined the US army even before she became a citizen of the country, and stated how her family and faith in God helped in propelling her career. She said upon her decoration as senior army officer that there are many opportunities in the U.S army notwithstanding one’s occupation.
She disclosed this via a post on her official Linkedin account. Part of the statement reads: “We have many opportunities for those looking for a sense of purpose and service. As I found out very early in life, the Army has many opportunities, and many occupations, and we award many scholarships. Please contact me if you or someone you know wants to be an Army officer. Regardless of how you define success, the Army can help you get there – we want to be part of your journey!”
Brigadier General Amanda Azubuike is unmistakably an inspiration to womenfolk worldwide, and to black women of African descent in particular, that once there is courage, determination and hardwork, all artificial barriers, including male dominance, can be broken to achieve their goal.
