JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
The Women’s History Month committee hosted a luncheon March 24 at the Gateway Club here.
The luncheon featured three guest speakers who each spoke about this year’s theme: our history is our strength – past, present and future.
The first guest speaker, Retired U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Queta Marquez, who spoke about the past, talked about her 20 years in the military and the people, during the course of her career, she believes helped shape her into a leader.
Marquez talked about the challenges she faced when she and her fellow Marines deployed to Somalia shortly after arriving at her first duty station.
“I learned so much from that experience,” she said. “I learned that it takes people from all walks of life and all backgrounds to come together to serve towards a common goal. It was extremely eye opening for me.”
After spending 10 years as an enlisted member, Marquez applied for and was commissioned as an officer.
“It was definitely a challenge going from enlisted to officer, but one of the things that will always stick with me is a comment someone made,” Marquez said. She recalled when her commission program application was pending, a senior officer asked her in front of the entire office “Do you think you should be picked up for this (package) because you are a female and Latina?’”
“I said, ‘No sir, because I deserve to be selected because I am a … good Marine and can run circles around half of your peers; and I don’t think you would ask a male Marine that, would you?’” she continued.
“It’s not something that is comfortable to talk about, but it is something that exists,” Marquez said. “That mindset … it is a challenge that I faced as a female that I would be willing to bet that most males don’t have to face.”
Marquez wasn’t discouraged.
“I signed up knowing exactly what I was getting into and I am proud of that. But there are challenges that inherent in being in a male-dominated environment and there are challenges women will always have to face to some degree simply because they are female.”
Despite these hurdles, Marquez “absolutely loved being a Marine” and “things have changed a lot since I first came in … for the better”.
U.S. Air Force Col. Deedra Zabokrtsky, 59th Medical Operations Group chief nurse with 25 years of military service, was the second guest speaker who spoke about the present.
While Marquez focused on the hurdles she overcame and learned from, Zabokrtsky emphasized the importance of developing future generations, she claims is one of her passions as a professional.
“In my mind, the present is really the bridge that connect(s) the past with the future … and we (women) continue to develop over time,” she said. “You (women) are the present and future role models and you are advocates blazing trails for our next generation. Our future depend on leaders like you in this room who cultivate and encourage innovation.”
Zabokrtsky’s first chief nurse once asked her what their office needed. Zabokrtsky believed there was an item they needed that the chief nurse was unfamiliar with.
“That was the moment I first experienced empowerment,” she remembered. “I shared my knowledge and … we got the items, not because I asked for them, but because the newest nurse was able to explain what they were and why they were important.”
“That is a lesson that I never forgotten and one I try to instill in others: educate your staff, empower them and then get out of the way,” she said. ”An empowered team is confident and motivated and will exceed expectations.”
The final speaker, who spoke on the future, was Tunisia Lt. Jr. Noura Abid, student at the Defense Language Institute English Learning Center here.
Although there are challenges, Abid loves being in her country’s military and being an interpreter. It requires hard work, dedication and continuous training and learning.
Learning is the key to success and knowledge is powerful weapon, she said. It strengthens ambitions.
Abid emphasized the importance of education and how, because of it, young girls like her daughter can become future strong women.
All three guest speakers praised the event and the opportunity to speak.
“This is an absolutely amazing event,” Zabokrtsky said. “(The committee) worked hard and it shows.”