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Female Military Service in Cuba
On the contrary, they not only enrich their spiritual life, but also build up their character and get trained to defend the Homeland as the rest of the soldiers.

Gloria and Yudismary are two young women that have joined the Women's Voluntary Military Service this year and are being trained in units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR). President of the Middle School Federation Students in Mantua municipality, 18 year-old Gloria Adelaida Delgado is an accountancy technician and despite she longed to start working, decided to accomplish this Service stage in the FAR, which represents an example for other girls.

Yudismary Gener del Llano, also a leader student but from Sandino municipality, decided to join the military service after finishing high school. She confessed this stage is hard but very exciting since it contributes to her training for the defense of the Homeland.

It's been three months now that both of them enter the military anti-aircraft unit 2120 of Pinar del Río, in which they experience daily the military discipline and the proper regulations of the military life, issues that have made them change their ways.

Determined to share their anecdotes with other young women, they told us some secrets of their olive green days.

Not everything was easy. To fulfil their goals they had to overcome several obstacles and prejudices.

Although Gloria had the support of her family, the grandfather, Lieutenant Colonel retired from the FAR and used to the rigorous military life, asked her if she was sure giving that step, she replied of course she was.

But...it was her boyfriend who was not so in agreement with the fact of having his girl in a military unit surrounded by men, despite he is also in service too.

She tried to persuade him and explained the many benefits female service would provide, plus the commitment it implies.

"But now he sees things normal and even gives me support", referred Gloria.

In the case of Yudismary, her mother was not happy with the idea of having her youngest daughter in a military institution where boys are the majority.

Fortunately, her sister and neighbors convinced her mother, and now she is so into the idea that is even encouraging Yudismary to continue with it.

The arrival to a new place is usually frightening, especially when the life conditions are different from what you have been used to.

So the first day was kind of traumatic for these young ladies.

"I recall that the boys were telling us if we were crazy and things like that, so we thought the task would be impossible to accomplish".

Gloria remembers that in the first two weeks she wanted to leave and even cried. The first lieutenant of the unit had to talk with her.

"In addition, Yudismary tells, we spent the previous training phase with young men with a difficult character, most of them were jobless or did not study, and the communication was almost none, but with the time we started to understand among ourselves.

"We almost became counsellors, since started to talk with them, explaining the importance of the military service. Fortunately, things changed and today we help each other".

Daily life

00384The bell rings and the hard work of the day begins. Morning exercises, personal hygiene, inspection to the rooms, breakfast, and then the combat and political training activities.

Then it comes lunch, a brief break, and in the afternoon continue the tasks and lessons, then the bath time, dinner, Round Table TV Show, the National News Broadcast space -which help us rise our political training-recreational activities and bedtime.

"I was not used to that, but we can do it", says Gloria.

"We have got frights of course. For example, the first time we shoot with AKM rifles and real bullets, I was so nervous that my comrades had to get me out of there, but today I'm always among the first when there is a military drill or whatever the action is, we have surpassed our own expectations. It is impressive to have a gun like this in the hands, to listen and feel the noise when shooting".

What do you think Military Service gives you?

"We have realized that we can also resist the heavy load of military training, besides I give my little support to increase the participation of women in defensive tasks, now we are more responsible, organized, disciplined and in better conditions to face life", said Gloria.

Yudismary, as the rest of so many young women, have acquired experience and knowledge, habits and the necessary skills to, in case she decides to stay in the military life, keep the chief-subordinate relations, appearance, military courtesy and fulfil the tasks and missions assigned during this six months of service in the FAR.

Women's Voluntary Military Service in the Armed Forces is very healthy for the future life of these girls. Those graduated from high school are allowed to continue the university studies through the 18th Order of the FAR Ministry.

Those who are jobless can continue their military career in the units.

These two young women have plenty of sensitivity, beauty and character, with their example ratify Marti's quote "the struggles waged by nations are weak only when they lack support in the hearts of their women".

(Guerrillero.cu)

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