"Gone for Soldiers Every One" or just "Women in Uniform"

I am really not in favor of War, especially not when the result is coffins with the bodies of young soldiers brought back from faraway places, but with the recent repeal of DADT in the US I thought that it was time to venture out to look for a few "Women in Uniform".

This time we could start out in the movies! The first female soldier I think that I came across was "Private Benjamin" as in a Goldie Hawn flick from the '80's - a lot of fun at the time, but perhaps a bit out of date by now (?) - and even if there is a hint of bisexuality in the movie it's all just for "fun".

Kelly McGillis as Top Gun Instructor

I know that Kelly McGillis wasn't really a soldier in "Top Gun" and that the movie was too high on testosterone to ring any bells, but I am pretty sure she would have been able to find a well fitting flight suite had she needed one!

Demi Moore as Lt. Jordan O'Neil

If we continue down the movie trail we will eventually hit the ocean ... you know that the sea is the perfect element for a SEAL, don't you? So I guess that we could go see if "GI Jane" chose to ring the bell ... now this woman IS a soldier and she chose to be tested with the best, but I think that she might be overdoing it just a bit - even if her one-handed push ups is impressive.

We might want equal opportunities, but should it be on male terms and standards ... ? 

On-handed push ups!

In "GI Jane" we get a hint on the consequences of living as a homosexual in the military, but even if Lt. Jordan O'Neil turns herself into one hard butch GI for the sake of joining a SEAL team, and has her sexuality questioned in the process, we don't really get to see if this has any impact on her love life.  

Glenn Close

Glenn Close and Judy Davis

Further down the movie trail we encounter "Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story". This is the real-life story of Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer of the US National Guard who was involuntary discharge when she admitted she was gay. This is the story of her coming out and her legal battle following the discharge.

I think Glenn Close and Judy Davis made a nice couple and it's fun to watch the slightly up-tight colonel trying to find equal footing with her more bohemian love interest, but beware this is a movie from the mid '90s  - you might find it a bit dated!

Should you want to explore the theme of real life LGBT veterans, you can look up the publication "Proud to Serve". Some of the pictures from the book is available here.

Now lets turn to Fan Fic's with a theme on "Women in Uniform" or perhaps just a woman in uniform. I think that we should start out with the end..... serving in the military and especially at a time when your country choose to go to war might bear the ultimate consequence for you and your family. This is the theme that Cheyne explore in "Requiem" - so don't go there unless you have a tissue handy.

While we visit with Cheyne I might as well tell you that she has written a much longer story with Women in Uniform - "Permission to Recover". All 582 pages (!) of this story is posted at The Athemaeum and very well rated by the readers, but due to the length I've never read it. So I can't really tell you if the story is worth you time - let me know if it's a good read!

Moving on to Ft. Bragg we get to meet the Top of Headquarters Company. The long and lean 1SG Karen Wilson and her new "butter bar" 2Lt Whitney Gordon who is going to serve as the company XO. What could have been a nasty battle of strength between a competent NCO and a still "wet behind the ear" officer, turns out to be a - not too mushy - but still enjoyable meeting of two women both in need of a new friend and perhaps more .... if just one of them has the nerve to break the silence that DADT and the band on fraternisation poses on them. "XO" by C. Paradee is not a story of war but a little romance and drama mixed on the backdrop of an army base and some military jargon. 

If you want real fighting you could look up Larisa's "Da Nang", but you will be looking at VC snipers and sneaky fighting, dirt, blood and death bodies - so join the fun at you own risk. If you want your soldier in Dress White you can take a look at Pez in Larisa's "The Ice Princess", but even though Pez do her fair bit of fighting, it's still in the relatively calm scenery of an ER and not on the battlefield. Should you on the other hand want to go to Officer Candidate School you can join Brennen Magdonn as she enters at The Quantico Marine Corps Base, and don't worry there are lot's of butch lesbians who is always faith full ... "Semper Fi" by Larisa.

Leaving Larisa will get us into combat again this time with Master Sgt. Halley a Marine trained for specialized missions in hostile countries. 15 years in the service and wondering if this is what life has to offer, Halley starts to question her heart and what she find is the blue eyes of Commander Eden a Top Gun Navy Aviator. But before Halley and Eden can say more than "Hallo" the women find themselves on a deadly mission in enemy territory, where finding cover is much more important than "Finding Your Heart"!

I for one prefer to have my soldiers in a more relaxed setting, so I'll venture out on a "Blind Date" by D with a nervous marine by the name of Lark, and an annoyed Mel who has been pushed hard by her best friend Claire to have dinner with Lark, while she is home on leave. You won't get much soldiering done in this fic, but you will get to "see" our marine in her green class A service uniform - a formidable look if we go by Mel's judgment!

For a more humorous outlook on life in the service look up Major Sheila Patton when she attach "The Nipple Factory" .... only to find a lonely and frustrated woman in need of some hand holding.

Now I will leave you to your reading - please dodge any bullets coming your way - stay safe!

In The Light of Day by Cheyne aka Cheyne Curry

There is more ways than one to come out and Riley chooses a  spectacular one if you consider giving a living and breathing lesbian a lap dance at you cousins bachelorette party coming out. I know that it might just be the tequila speaking, but maybe, just maybe, this is more than just an alcohol induced idea of a little fun? 

At least that what Kya implies to Riley when she wakes up naked in Kya's bed the morning after. "But…I don't even know what to do with a woman…" Riley protests, "So you said last night. I can assure you that you have a creative imagination and you take instruction very well" is Kya's answer.

Now there is no reason to make fun of the process of realising you are gay and coming out, but I don't mind the subject to be treated in a humorous way and that is what Cheyne is doing here. If you can accept the fact that tequila - and one night in the arms of a lesbian super lover - can make a here to unsuspecting straight woman a convinced lesbian, that is.  

"In The Light of Day" is the first in a series of four stories that make up the complete tale of Riley's coming out to herself and her family. Do look up at least the first and the last story if you want a chance to put a little smile on your face. 

You can follow these links to the series "In The Light of Day", "Chance and Choice", "Decision" and "From This Day Forward". 

If you think that bachelorette parties are just the place to test the waters on you sexuality, you might want to check out the "Hen Night", "Wedding Reception", "Honeymoon" and "Devorcee" from the pen of Artemis Callaghan. This is a favourite of mine. 

The Topic of Hunter by Cheyne aka Cheyne Curry

You can chat with her daily or cut her out of your life, you can try to make her proud or you can decide that you don’t give a damn about what she thinks of your life. I say you can love her, hate her or feel something in between for her, but you can’t feel indifferent towards her because she is – your MOTHER ;-)

Hunter certainly do feel something, at the moment it’s probably mostly surprise at her mother leaving Hunter - and not one of her two brothers - her house. A feeling that is easily explained by the fact that Hunter haven’t spoken with her mother since the day she – Hunter that is - was caught in bed with the wife of the minister of the First Congregational Church at the age of eighteen. I guess that could cause a raised eyebrow even in the best of families, and well Hunters family life do seem to have been a bit dysfunctional.

Returning to Otter Falls some sixteen years after the incident, to deal with the house and her mothers belongings, Hunter have to face not only her mother’s legacy, but also the family and friends she left behind. This proves to be an experience with lots of surprises - both good and bad.

For those of us with a romantic preference “The Topic of Hunter” holds a nice – but a bit hasty - romance based on the theme of a first love that never dies. For anyone with a fondness for a more dramatic storyline Cheyne digs up the remainders of a girl who died a long time ago.

If you want a peek at the romantic parts of the storyline follow Hunter when she goes for a beer at the local bar on the night of her arrival in Otter Falls. Find yourself a table and watch as Hunter bumps into not only her high school best friend Lesley, but also said friends – no longer so young – little sister Lisa. Keep your eyes on Lisa, she is not only the centre of attention at a little gathering of family and friends at the bar because of her birthday, but also a catching woman with an old dream she wishes to live out with … you can guess who.

I’ve read the story more than once and each time I’ve found that Cheyne tells a catching story in an enjoyable and fluent writing style. In the beginning the focus of attention of the story is Hunter, her relationship with her family, and the rather fast-moving romance with Lisa. At some point the focus of the storyline shifts to a drama involving the death of a young girl, and then - when we have survived the peak of the drama - we get treated to a very abrupt wrapping up of the romance, which I find a bit disappointing, but if you like a well woven story with a mix of romance and drama you could do a lot worse than spending your time with “The Topic of Hunter”.

Should you like Cheyne’s writing style and wish for a pure romantic storyline I can recommend the series of short stories “In The Light Of Day”, “Chance and Choice”, “Decisions”, “From This Day Forward”. You can look up Jarlings review if you want an introduction to the story.