Mind Your Military Manners: Military Etiquette and Grooming, 1971

[Generic Other]

A bizarre little Nixon era film (his picture was hanging on the wall) about how the military expects women to act.

The Army "grooming" women for the job. I can only shake my head and roll my eyes.

The National Archives seem to be uploading their films to youtube in case you want to find other fascinating old films.

[MADem]

1. Which GIRL deserves the assignment? They're all fine GIRLS!

Good grief...and those lines are delivered by the woman (not a "girl&quot playing the commanding officer!

I knew a woman who was a USMC officer--she told me that back in the day, lipstick was mandatory, as were girdles, for female personnel! They had to take "make up application" classes in bootcamp, too.

Imagine doing a seabag inspection and having to gig someone for not having a lipstick!

[JBoy]

2. WTF? My takeaway from this (woman) military officer's advice

Is that for women in the military, the most important thing for getting ahead is (was) to act feminine.

Sounds like something a (male) misogynist would say today. She constantly called her employees "girls". Of course, she was probably pigeon-holed herself, too.

My, how times have changed.

[sarge43]

3. As a matter of fact at the time

the Air Force uniform regulation AFM 35-10 stated that men present a "military" appearance in uniform, women a "feminine" one. I once asked a SJA officer what the legal definition of feminine was. His answer, "Beats the shit outta me."

Had a moon bat first shirt who got it in her head that only curly or wavy hair was feminine (see above and face palm here)

Went for a painful period when we could wear only pumps while in service uni. A lot of fun when you had a job like mine where you on your feet for most of the day. Pumps weren't an issued item or available through clothing sales. Yeah, civilian shoe stores were all over the place in Shemya Alaska.

Male Military Training Instructors wore the smoky the bear cover. Female MTIs couldn't because -- wait for it -- it wasn't feminine. Why yodeling at a bunch of people like demented banshee was feminine is a question for another time. We couldn't wear any cover (that feminine thang) which is one of the reasons I had three bouts of heat exhaustion and got bounced from the program.

And they wonder why passive/aggressive behavior is a constant in service.

[caraher]

4. "If I decided on her work alone, I suppose I would recommend Carol"

Wow. So it was all about how you walk... ?

[Generic Other]

6. That line made me do a spit take!

It reminded me of instruction one might receive to be a "coffee, tea or me" stewardess. It is all about being attractive to the men in command.

[sarge43]

7. That was part of it; however, another reason was trying to negate the faux lesbian image.

IOW, we weren't riding Harleys, wearing leathers and crew cuts - a myth that had been around since WWII.
(Before I'm jumped, I'm reporting a fact, not stating a personal belief or prejudice)

War story alert: At the time, mid seventies, my mother was an Easter Star matron. The ladies of her chapter decided it would be a good smooze to throw an afternoon tea for Matron's daughter. So, I show up and I'm a Mary Richards wannabe - nice do, plain gold stud earrings, long sleeve print blouse, skirt just above knee, pumps. In short, I was my civilian counterpart - a middle level cube rat.

At least three ladies said in so many words that I was not what they expected. Finally got fed up and asked one of them what she expected her Matron's daughter to be as I had been under my mother's care for nineteen years and the Air Force's for only ten. That shut them up, but I know what they expecting - see above.

[kickysnana]

5. Hey I saw this...

I also saw the ex-Marine squad leader slug, not slap a girl in the face for taking an ice cream at lunch. Her unit wasn't allowed to take ice cream.

We also huddled down for three weeks while MPs and AWOL race rioters sniped at each other on base in the wooded areas of Ft McClellan. We got a one time get out of the Army with an Honorable Discharge offer and all the Mn girls and all but one WI girl said, yes, oh hell, yes.

Women were fighting for equality and the visiting male officers never returned salutes from females, no lie.

Yes I did get chewed out for forgetting to put lipstick on one day.