Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester

A female Soldier, Leigh Ann Hester, of the Kentucky National Guard's 617th MP Company, has been awarded the first Silver Star won by a woman since WWII.

She earned it. The extended entry over at Sondra K's gives the full details.

I was priveliged to lead a bunch of MPs during Desert Storm, and to integrate them into a larger formation. We maintained our unit integrity as part of bigger effort, and we seamlessly integrated into the bigger picture. That is what being in the Guard or Reserves is all about today.

I have never known more intelligent people than those I lead during that unpleasantness. I never worked with smarter folks than I worked with during that time. The tactical competence and professional integrity of the Military Police were unequaled. Trained as police, they were also required to be trained as infantry, because policing a battlefield will put you in harms way. As this story exhibits so dramatically, the Military Police are totally integrated by race, by sex, by cultural background. The one binder, the one common attribute is professional excellence. Women fight in todays Army. They're not yet integrated into Armor or Infantry units, but they fight as part of the Military Police. They are a credit to their unit and to their Army.

Leigh Ann Hester, you done good.

UPDATE: The power of the blogosphere, fact-checking, has struck Pawpaw. I misspelled Sergeant Hester's name, and my editor, Junior, called me on it. He's right, and I've made corrections. Thanks, Junior. Apologies to Sergeant Hester.