Biden insists women can ‘thrive’ in the modern US military on International Women’s Day
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In a speech celebrating International Women’s Day, Joe Biden touted increasing opportunities for women in the US military and urged leaders at the Pentagon to continue making progress towards gender equality.
From elevating more women to military leadership roles to taking “relatively straightforward” steps such as designing armor and military gear that fits women properly, Mr Biden indicated he hoped to create a force where women could “thrive.”
The president used his speech on Monday to announce the nomination of two female generals for four star commands after their promotions were previously held back under the Trump administration, according to a New York Times report.
General Jacqueline Van Ovost of the Air Force and Lieutenant General Laura Richardson of the Army were both first considered for a promotion back in the fall of 2020, as senior leaders of the Pentagon all agreed they should be given four-star commands.
After a lag in the Trump administration, Mr Biden has now moved to elevate them in the military ranks, touting their recent work to provide humanitarian aid to Texans suffering from power outages last month and bring supplies to local officials on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic response.
“They're warriors. They're crisis tested commanders,” Mr Biden said of Ms Van Ovost and Ms Richardson.
“Best of all, they're not done yet. Neither of these incredible generals is resting on her laurels or on her stars. They're using their voices and actively working to change policies in the military to make it easier and safer for more women not just to join the military, but to stay in the military, and to thrive,” he said.
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