Donna McAleer | Porcelain On Steel – Page 11 – Real Leaders

Character and Composition Matter

Published on September 22, 2009

In the month of August, both Forbes Magazine and US News & World Report ranked West Point as American’s Best College in each of their respective annual rankings. The rank and follow-on accolades are tribute to a national treasure – the United States Military Academy. There has been both praise and criticism of the methodology used to calculate this year’s results. The primary criticism being that students of the federal military academies receive a free education, which allows them to graduate debt free in comparison to the majority of other university students.

There is only one first day of Kindergarten

Published on August 27, 2009

The first day of kindergarten is a momentous day for both child and parent. The weeks and days leading up to the first day of school have been filled with anticipation and excitement. Visits to the school, meetings with teachers, introductions to the principal, shopping for a new outfit, learning bus riding procedures, and packing, unpacking and re-packing of the mandatory accessory — the backpack.

The day before the first day of school, a few parents of the soon-to-be- kindergarteners organized a pizza picnic. After catching up on summer adventures, one of the excited moms asked me, “Are you going to go to school in the morning and take pictures?” Puzzled I replied, “I had not thought about it. Carly is taking the bus. I am going to the bus-stop and planned on taking a few snapshots there.” Politely, but firmly, she told me that there is only one first day of kindergarten.

“Women in Combat: An American Story” NY Times August 19, 2009

Published on August 20, 2009

This letter to the Editor of the New York Times appeared in both the on-line and print versions of the New York Times on August 19, 2009.

To the Editor:
The topic of women in combat remains controversial. Conventional wisdom and current law prevent women, no matter how able, from serving in units with direct offensive combat missions — infantry, armor, artillery and special forces. The justification for this exclusion includes that women are not fit for combat and battlefield stress because they lack the emotional stability and physical strength.

They told, They’re out!

Published on May 11, 2009

1st Lt. Dan Choi, 2002 West Point graduate, Arabic linguist and Iraq War veteran, is being fired from the United States Army for publicly announcing that he is gay.

In the Army equivalent of a pink slip received by postal mail on 23 April 2009, Choi was informed of his firing because of what he said. The Army wrote, “You admitted publicly that you are homosexual which constitutes homosexual conduct. Your actions negatively affected the good order and discipline of the New York Army National Guard.”

Substance and Style

Published on January 22, 2009

January 20, 2009 dawned as a day filled with anticipation, excitement, hope and celebration as Barack Obama was sworn into office as our 44th president. It was a great day for America. And for most of it, with the exception of a workout, I sat planted firmly in front of a television with laptop and blackberry flipping between channels and websites in search of substance.

The Moment of the Oath

Published on January 21, 2009

I am at a loss of words for the momentous and seismic shift we witnessed today with the inauguration of Barack H. Obama as the 44th president of the United States of America. The joy and hope of people everywhere was palpable as a new chapter in our Nation’s history opened. Today was a day for all Americans.

A Few Good Women

Published on December 17, 2008

Porcelain on Steel: Women of West Point’s Long Gray Line was borne out of my experience as a high school volleyball coach in 2004. Concerned with whom some of my athletes admired and considered role models, I began thinking about some of the women with whom I went to school and served along side in the Army. These women are role models, and if my team learned about some of them maybe they would consider pursuing paths to which they had not previously been exposed.

Women in Combat — Just Doing Her Job

Published on December 5, 2008

The topic of women in combat remains controversial. Conventional wisdom and current law prevent women, no matter how able, from serving in units with direct offensive combat missions — Infantry, Armor, Artillery and Special Forces. The justifications for this exclusion include that women are not fit for combat and battlefield stress because they lack the emotional stability and physical strength. The media has often proffered that American’s would not stand to see their daughters coming home in body bags, missing limbs or badly disfigured. The purported fear and outcry of a woman’s violent death from enemy fire has not materialized during the war on terror. The deaths of women soldiers have provoked no more and no less reaction than the deaths of male soldiers. In reality, the strained Armed Forces need women in the fight. Circumstances have eclipsed arguments, and few in the military and government are anxious to rekindle the debate.

Donna McAleer | Porcelain On Steel Posts