UPDATE: March 2010
My thesis was finished with a major change to the original topic. Due to lack of information and ability to contact more veterans, I changed my thesis to concentrate on the Navajo Women and their culture. I concentrated on how their culture embraced women as veterans. The Navajo women veterans had helped me significantly. I entitled my thesis: Daughters of Changing Woman-An Analysis of Navajo Women and the Adapting Navajo Culture. I am still operating this website to encourage more American Indian veterans to write in and tell their story. It has been seven years since Lori Piestewa gave her life for our freedom and I encourage the recent veterans to also write their story.
This thesis would have not been possible without Dr. Jenrette of Edinboro University, Kate Scott, Dr. Judith Bellafaire and Britta Granrud of the Women in the Military Service for America Memorial and my family who supported me throughout the process. I would also like to thank the following Navajo female veterans for their stories and contributions to our nation and my thesis: Gloria Stephens, Laura Chester, Leona Barton, Lisa Willis, Angela Barney Nez, Gilene Nez, Annie Yazzie Coots, Edna Ashley, and Janice Livingston Benecti.
May 2006
The thesis topic that I would have liked to concentrate on for my Masters degree involved the study and research of all Native American women veterans and their involvement with the United States military. Due to the lack of time, information, interviews and outreach I had to narrow my thesis based on my data. I plan on keeping this website up and adding biographies as time goes on. The indigenous cultures of the North American continent have helped shape the United States. The women of these tribes have participated in the protection and succession of the American people. My paper will prove that Native American women have served and enhanced the armed services of the United States.
NOVEMBER 2004
My thesis will compare indigenous women from two distinct cultures and their participation in the armed services of the United States
If you know of any women veterans who have Native American affiliations please contact my website with their stories at NAWVresearch@yahoo.com.
Research Issues of Native American Women Veterans.
Women in traditional American history have never fully been recognized for their contribution to society. Some of the problems facing researching American Indian women in the military is classification of these women, especially in the twentieth century, was done incorrectly. Retired Lt. Colonel Brenda Finnicum in an article stated; "When you are talking about women who served during World War I and II, the classification system of race was limited to three choices: black, white, and other. Native American women and men were not counted as individuals; they were passed on as white. So many Indians were not even correctly classified."
Prior to the Vietnam Conflict, American Indians were categorized as �other� during admissions to the military. Along with Asians and Non-Western female recruits, these people were grouped together. Especially with the �other� female recruits, their differentiation was based on the color shade of their skin. Females were segregated in the other section by shades of color rather than ethnicity. If you were a Northeastern tribal recruit you may pass for white and be put into the white section. If you were a dark Seminole you might be placed in the black section. The only way to research the women, who may have served in the military prior to the 1948 Executive Order 9928, was to know native family surnames or to research Native Papers.
The process for research has led me to ask for help from the First Nations and of the Women�s War Memorial. Unfortunately at this phase of my paper I have encountered little help from the departments of the military and lack of travel has kept me from interviewing women from the tribes.
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