Gail McCabe has traveled for years around the world telling the Army’s story for SRTV. She’s been to Europe, Africa, Central and South America, Afghanistan and many other locales. She was injured covering Iraq in 2004, for which she garnered the Defense of Freedom Award.
Tuesday, McCabe spoke to the men and women of Army Test and Evaluation Command at their Alexandria headquarters off King Street in honor of Women’s History Month. The 1998 Army Civilian Broadcast Journalist of the year showed photos of some notable women such as: scientist Madame Marie Curie, Betsy Ross of American flag fame, ‘‘Little Women” author Louisa May Alcott and aviator Amelia Earhart among others.
The speaker showed the late Congresswoman Bella Abzug’s picture with the quote, ‘‘Women have been trained to speak softly and carry a lipstick. Those days are over.”
McCabe told how more than 50 percent of college students are women and 38 percent of women own businesses. Some 250,000 women are in the Army, she said.
A picture of women in the Balkans sitting in front of the pictures of missing loved ones was called the wall of shame by McCabe. While she recalled the trials, tribulations and accomplishments of women around the world and throughout history, she didn’t forget one ATEC employee.
The photo of ATEC’s Victoria Dixon brought a smile of recognition to the faces of the audience. Dixon is the well respected director of ATEC’s Equal Opportunity Program.
McCabe is the SRTV bureau chief in Atlanta and is a frequent contributor to the ‘‘Army Newswatch,” Soldiers Radio and Television’s premier Army news program. She is the first Army civilian broadcast journalist to be selected to train at CNN’s Atlanta headquarters.
A small person with a big voice brought a loud cheer from the crowd at the start of the event. Alexandra Hayes of Legacy Elementary School belted out a rousing version of the National Anthem.
Jennifer Dunyon read the poem ‘‘Another Woman” about how every woman works with and encounters another woman in all avenues of life.
The drama didn’t stop with poetry. Capt. Monica Clayton donned a judge’s robe and narrated ‘‘Phenomenal Women” a morality tale about phenomenal women. Master Sgt. Cecilia Stone played a phenomenal Soldier and Alicia Holt displayed some acting talent when she portrayed a beauty queen.
Chalyndria Taylor drew laughs as she wielded a wooden spoon and bowl in the role of homemaker.
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