Walk a Mile in Her Shoes

cb7893 said:
If you didn't understand the reference in my post, I think Gov. Palin qualifies as both political and performance art.
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I see, I'm not even sure if I read that line when I first looked at it.

I went to a McCain rally. McCain wasn't conservative enough for me, but he was still better than the alternative, in my eyes. A political appointee from the Pentagon that I was worked with had me added to the VIP list. I was able to sit behind the stage, although I picked a spot to the side so I had less fear of looking goofy on camera.

I took leave. I wore civilian clothing. I didn't mention my status as an officer. I didn't wear or carry any "Veterans for McCain."

I had a good time. It was fun, especially as a government major, to see it at work.

There was a long long line to get in, and I wasn't sure what to do. My friend had said "just go up and say you're on the list." So eventually I found someone who looked like a wonk. I said "I'm trying to figure out how to get in." "Just wait in line." she said. "I was told to find someone, I'm on the VIP list." I said. "Oh my gosh sir, I'm so sorry, I didn't recognize you! Right this way!" HAHAHAHA.... I told her it was unlikely there was any reason she should recognize me.... but it was pretty funny to me anyway. The I in VIP has no place describing me.

Well, inside I saw somone in uniform, either Marine Corps or Air Force, and I couldn't help thinking "what the heck man?"

I have my political beliefs. I stand by them. But it's not appropriate to be in uniform; neither at a function I support, nor at a function I disagree with. I'm not a huge fan of "service member" backdrops, if there's a political undertone. There's a difference between "we support you" and "we need to tell Congress that..." Service members shouldn't be props, and they frequently are (for all parties). The uniform shouldn't be reduced to a political banner.
 
sean007 said:
Secondly, I went to the link you so helpfully provided - the quote I used for illustration is the third paragraph from the bottom under "Standing Up to Sexualized Violence" Once again the banner page of Walk a Mile in Her Shoes.
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Yup...see it now...Thanks for pointing that out. Should have took a little more time to read it carefully between trying to get cadets ready to commission and getting my scholarship winners for the fall on track.

I guess my only other comment is what does "political and performance art with public, personal and existential messages" even mean. I don't know if that sentence puts a political tag on the event. Can't see how a political party or individual would be against sexual assault awareness.
 
Now if you Google WAMIHS and ASU AROTC you will see a pic of them.
~ Unless they only have about 6-9 cadets in total and the pic was taken from a poor angle, I can't believe this was true that every cadet was forced.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/21/army-rotc-program-allegedly-pushed-men-wear-high-h/

~ The pic also shows a cadet wearing a black tee with writing....not impo ROTC uniform code.
~~ Sorry I don't know how to link the pic right onto this post.

I just can't believe ASU AROTC is so small that they only had 6-9 cadets in the entire unit.

FWIW, I am with jcc123.

If this cadet actually said this, this would be what I would say to them as a parent.
1. Isn't it part of defending those that cannot defend themselves your mission?
~ Gulf I was because Kuwait was invaded.
2. If this was your sister or girlfriend would you find this offensive?

30 minutes of your life is nothing. It illustrates to me that if you believe that it is you JUST DON'T GET IT! She will carry those memories everyday of her life. She WILL never joke about it like you.
~ In college they forced me to wear high heels for 30 minutes, I couldn't walk and my friends all laughed at how I looked in heels.

My DS married his college sweetheart. Their relationship was long distance (200 miles+). He was in AFROTC, if she was assaulted, I am dang sure he would have walked it in support of her. I am sure his friends would have too.
 
My bad, Google said it was ASU pic, but it actually was Temple.
~ The link made me believe it was ASU.

This is another link
http://www.statepress.com/article/2...els-to-support-sexual-assault-awareness-month

History senior and ROTC member Tanner Bailey said despite the pain he felt running in heels, it was a great experience because he enjoyed running for an issue that was not just important for the military....
When ASU Army ROTC decided to hold an event for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, it realized walking a mile in high heels would bring school-wide attention to such an important issue, ROTC Cdt./Corporal Alexis Johnson said.


“The purpose of the event is to create a basis of understanding about sexual violence, stigmas and rape culture in the military as well as in our community and to reinforce standards of behavior, active bystander mentality and to be peer advisers to one's unit and community,” Johnson said. “By walking in heels, the hope is to instill standards of behavior that will resonate.”

Johnson said they chose this event because the powerful message of the heels would be best at capturing the community’s attention.
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545c14d471856.image.jpg

I believe this is from the Ohio University march last fall

I'll just say it again:

I am all for cadets being good and responsible citizens, and that includes their (somewhat) non-coerced participation in events that can reasonably be seen as apolitical. I would also add that all such events should not bring disrespect to the uniform or humiliate the cadets. I also realize that all I’ve said so far is “in the eye of the beholder.”


FOR EXAMPLE
I have just waved my magic wand and made myself XO of the Notre Dame AROTC. My first order of business is to compel my entire cadre to participate in a march that portends to support The Marine Toys for Tots Campaign.

Now this campaign is one of the many that the “Brony Thank You Fund” exists to promote… really, look it up. Is it surprising for me to expect that the cadre might be a little humiliated dressing up as the My Little Pony character, Twilight Sparkle, while prancing down the street?


I just think the whole issue was an embarrassment that didn’t need to happen.
 
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So where is this cadet that had to pay money to spray paint their shoes? I don't see one red pair in this photo.

Still, I only see maybe a dozen. I would think ASU AROTC has more than a dozen cadets. I would think they would have @10 times that number.
~ DS went to UMDCP, AFROTC and they had @200+ cadets, and AROTC was larger than them. ASU has to be a flag ship.

I noticed they had a photog there...guessing that they were invited.
 
Pima said:
Still, I only see maybe a dozen. I would think ASU AROTC has more than a dozen cadets. I would think they would have @10 times that number.
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Well...since the photo is from Ohio University, it would be hard to tell how many cadets are at ASU.
 
These "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" events have been around for a few years. They do not only have ROTC participants but are also held on bases/posts with enlisted and officers alike participating. I know of a few guys who have done this in support of raising awareness. They were not humiliated. The press these ROTC cadets are getting has me SMH.
 
Walking in high heels doesn't foster empathy for victims of domestic violence any more than changing your Facebook profile picture. It's slacktivism at its finest. My best friend from college was killed by her police officer husband in a horrific murder/suicide. We honor her memory by donating money, time, and clothing to local women's charities.
 
Jcleppe said:
Well...since the photo is from Ohio University, it would be hard to tell how many cadets are at ASU.
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Okay let's go with that.

It appears that there are multiple units doing it. I admitted my bad that the Washington Times link used Temple. There was a x posting with Sean, and I assumed his pic was ASU because I knew the other picture.

Now, let's get to the real aspect here. Why does this cadet feels it was wrong? Is there any proof that their CoC forced them to wear heels?
~ I am laughing inside because I have 2 boys that wear size 12 and 13 mens shoes. That would be the equivalent of a size 14/15 womens shoes.
~~ I get it, they have big feet, but is anyone willing to believe and bite off that a CoC would force them to special order shoes to participate?
~~~ If that is the case than that CoC needs to be relieved of duty. You are talking hundreds of dollars for those shoes. Think size 15 mens.

I stand with Jcc123 and Cadet Tanner Bailey stated.

Can we be real for a second. There will be times you will disagree with leadership. However, this is altruistic. This is not mission oriented.

Seriously, anyone with a daughter, wife or girlfriend would be cheering as they ran past the finish line.

Why are we even arguing this? I always believed the military represented those that could not defend against bullies. Sexual assailants are bullies.
 
Jcc123 said:
I've noticed that no one complains at all when ROTC units compete in memorial marches wearing ACU pants and motivational t-shirts, or run in the Race for the Cure wearing PTs and "Save the Tatas" t-shirts. How is this any different? As platypus1618 points out, this is not a political issue, it's more of a reinforcement of the Army stance against SHARP issues and domestic violence.

1) Do we really not understand the difference between universally recognized unisex T-Shirts and universally recognized women's shoes?
2) I Have been stationed onboard 3 different ships for a combined total of 11 years of sea duty, I've only had 1 Captain who allowed 1 "crazy hat and t-shirt" day after 110 days straight at sea. At no other time in the other 9 years of combined shore duty have I been on active duty and allowed to wear civilian t-shirts while in uniform. Show your support out of uniform.
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If cadets or midshipman want to participate in an event like this, out of uniform, I'm all for it. In uniform? No way. I don't like when I see Coasties wearing Seattle Seahawks shirts under their ODU blouses. I don't like see political signs or pins on service members and I don't like uniforms being alterred.

Can a service member be compelled to participate in a political even? No. It's illegal. Can a service member participate in a political event in uniform? Nope. Can a service member participate in a political even? Yes.

Want to support some group or some cause? Great! Do it out of uniform, and on your own time. Maybe you'll even see me there.
 
I got to check out a long conversation from a personal contact (officer) at the ASU det who had the first-hand facts of the situation.

I'm an APMS at ASU. The intent of the event was to raise awareness for sexual violence and it was prescribed by the BDE CDR and endorsed by the Cadet Command CG, MG Combs. None of the cadets were forced or coerced into participating in the event, nor were they threatened with negative counseling if they chose not to. Because obviously. The walk ended up being quite a bit of fun, albeit very painful, and we got a lot of support from everyone that we walked by on campus, to include our dean and the president of the university. I'm at a loss regarding all of the negativity surrounding the event. Perhaps it was because of the misinformation that is floating around regarding orders to violate uniform standards (which, really??) or perhaps it's because people see this gesture of solidarity as a threat to their ability to say and do whatever they please to whomever they please...because Army. Whatever the case, this event was done for the right reasons and it's troubling to see that so many people cannot look past some foot coverings to see the bigger picture here.

Also, the photo attached to the article is grossly misleading as it is not a photo from our event. It's from the same event at Temple University. At ASU, we either wore civvies with high heels (or not if you weren't comfortable wearing them) or full regulation ACUs with no heels.
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Pima said:
I get it, they have big feet, but is anyone willing to believe and bite off that a CoC would force them to special order shoes to participate?
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Dammit Pima and Hornet,

It was confirmed by a Reddit discussion thread that the cadet's claims were true, when someone asked, "Okay, who put the cadets up to this?"

Isn't that good enough for you?
 
Yep, just like I believe this FB

https://www.facebook.com/usawtfm/posts/10153290860363606
Regarding the ASU army ROTC incident - "walk a mile in her shoes" we received this statement from the ROTC Commander :

"I saw a comment posted by someone who made a false statement regarding Arizona State University Army ROTC. I am the Professor of Military Science for that program. We are having a "Walk a mile in her shoe" event tomorrow in support of the Chief of Staff of the Army guidance to support efforts to stand against sexual violence. This event is not mandatory and we are not wearing our uniforms. There is no retribution for someone choosing not to participate.

I would like to know the name of the individual that posted that information. They truly are misinformed and are clearly not representing our program or the Army in the way that a future officer should."

And we received this message from another cadet :

"Regarding the ASU army ROTC incident. Our Commander is threatening to kick us out of program and take away our scholarships if we get caught, liking, sharing, commenting or sharing with you guys."

Thoughts?

What PMS would post that? Asking on FB to rat out a cadet?
Reddit, FB, and twitter are the go to sources.

Welcome to the world of social media!
 
First off I'll say that sexual assault and sexual harassment have no place in our military. Fortunately, Congress and military leaders have forced an emphasis on countering what I would call a societal problem (as opposed to only a military problem) in our ranks. But unfortunately, when leaders at the highest levels show interest/concern towards a particular issue, we'll often see leaders at lower levels try to one-up each other with good ideas to demonstrate their "buy in".

I think this WAMIHS stunt is a perfect example...good intentions but just not the right way to go about what we're trying to accomplish here. Another example would be a stunt my unit was forced to take part in just a few weeks ago at a mandatory Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) training event. 300 of our airmen were forced to literally sing and dance in "SAPR karaoke"...an effort to bring awareness to the lyrics in many popular songs that are inherently offensive or derogatory towards women.

Sexual assault is a serious issue. These are violent crimes committed by disturbed individuals who belong in prison, and not in our military. I have never seen or heard of ridiculous stunts like these being used to bring awareness to other violent crimes...like murder or domestic violence. Not even with DUIs, which are another severe problem we face as a society and military.

I will say that I've attended some excellent SAPR training/awareness sessions since I've been on active duty. The most effective ones I've seen were those where we were able to hear real victims' stories and relate them to our own experiences. These were sobering events, which I think is appropriate for a topic like this...unlike singing, dancing and dressing in drag.
 
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