NATO HQ 25 June 2003

Video interview with Colonel Cheryl D. Lamerson, Chairperson of the Committee on Women in the NATO Forces Q: Can you tell us about the Committee on Women in the NATO Forces, when and why it was created, and what its purpose is within NATO? Colonel Cheryl D.Lamerson: (Chairman, Committee on Women in the Armed Forces): Certainly. It was created in 1961, informally, by a group of female officers who came together and started to discuss shared concerns and shared interests in the military. And in 1976 it was formally and officially recognized by NATO as a Committee. Its purpose is several interrelated purposes. First of all, for sharing information on what each NATO nation does with regard to women or gender integration in their military. From that sharing of information each nation's delegation takes information back to their country; what worked, what didn't work, what's a good idea, what isn't a good idea. And finally, the Committee as a whole makes recommendations to NATO Headquarters of things that might be considered as overall considerations. Q: Since the creation of the Committee would you say there've been major changes in attitude towards women in the Armed Forces in NATO member countries? Colonel Lamerson: In every single nation there has been much, much, much change. We're talking now 40 years, 42 years, and I think the evolution of the way women have been treated, both in the nations themselves, as well as the nations' militaries, has evolved, to differing degrees in different nations. Obviously each country has a different culture, has different laws, different requirement, so I wouldn't say they're all the same, but I would say that all evolved. Q: And all in all are there other changes the Committee would like to see introduced in these NATO member countries? Colonel Lamerson: I think there's always improvements to be made. In fact, some people have said that roughly in the world there is about 51 percent women, and some people would contend that we probably should be making these changes until 51 percent of every single military is women. Now I don't know whether we'll ever get to that point or not. It depends on each individual nation. But I think we'll keep making improvements. And I think some of those improvements that we make for women in fact greatly influenced the men in those militaries as well. They help them as well. Q: The name of the Committee is Committee on Women in the NATO Forces. Do all NATO member countries authorize the recruitment of women in their Armed Forces? Colonel Lamerson: They do now. In fact, the last member nation to open its doors to women was Italy in 2000 and now in fact, all of the nations allow women in the military, to varying degrees. Some only at certain rank levels. Some only in certain occupations. And that depends on the country's own rules, policies, laws, what they do. Q: So generally speaking, do you think that the Armed Forces actually provide working conditions favourable to women? Colonel Lamerson: In fact, they do. Again, it depends on each nation, but most of the women we know who are in the military think very highly of their organization. We wouldn't be in our militaries if we didn't think highly of them, I believe. But the care that's given to them is very positive. Q: So do you actually think that women can fulfil their military obligations, as well as bringing up a family? Colonel Lamerson: I do. I always think it's an interesting question because we never ask that question of men. It's a challenge, obviously, for women. Most of our nations' societies do still put more pressure on women to care for the family, to be concerned with family, but the women I've seen in the military are handling all of their requirements very well. They're good citizens, they're good family members, they're good military members, and we couldn't ask for anything better than that. Q: As a woman in the NATO Forces yourself, how do you personally perceive the role of women in today's high tech military forces? Colonel Lamerson: Well the one thing I've seen throughout my career, and it's been 28 years now, is women can do the jobs. If you give them the training, you give them the preparation, just as you would give men, they can do the job. There's no stopping women in terms of what they're capable of doing. Q: The subject of women serving in the front line has given rise to lively debate in recent years and has been highlighted recently in Afghanistan and Iraq. What is the Committee's position on this? Colonel Lamerson: The Committee itself does not actually have a position on it. We're very careful in the Committee to say that it's really up to each individual nation. We encourage the full use of women, but the full use of women according to the laws of the nation and the rules of the nation's military. So whereas Canada, where I'm from, women are in all occupations, including combat occupations, I would not presume, nor would the Committee presume, to tell an individual nation what they should or should not do. And I liken it to if I'm in your car and I start telling you how to drive, drive faster, drive slower, you're not stopping at the right time, you're not being safe, you'd probably be pretty frustrated with me after not very long. We take the same approach. I think NATO as a whole takes the same approach in terms of respecting individual nations' rules. And we try very carefully to do that. So we encourage the full use of women wherever possible, with regard to the nation's own laws. Q: As the chairperson of this Committee, you're a role model for many other female military personnel. Do you have a role model? Colonel Lamerson: Well, thank you for saying that I'm a role model, that's very nice to hear. I would say every woman I've ever met in the military, whether it's my military or any military, has been my role model. This Committee has been a very positive experience for me, because I get to see women in other occupations, in other nations, at other rank levels, and they've all been very, very positive. Our speaker at our recent committee meeting was Lieutenant General Retired Claudia Kennedy from the U.S. Army, now retired. She was the first and only female three-star in the United States and the United States has a very large proportion of women. She's still the first. She was a fantastic role model. So, I've given you one large one, I suppose and thousands, thousands of individual role models. And perhaps a little less seriously, my other role model would be Don Quixote, because I like tilting at windmills. Q: Okay. (Laughs) Finally, Colonel Lamerson, I believe you'll shortly be leaving your position as chairperson of this Committee. Colonel Lamerson: Yes. Q: What impressions of the work of the Committee on Women in the NATO Forces will you take with you and what advice would you give to your successor? Colonel Lamerson: My major impression I think that I'll take with me is the strength of people working together. And I say people because it wasn't just women working together. It was men and women who were interested in women being in the military, working together. And my recommendation for my successor is really to continue with that strength and build on that strength because that sharing, that alliance is so important, it's so valuable. I hope she'll continue. Q: Thank you very much. Colonel Lamerson: Thank you.