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di Agathi Arvanitidou (Autore)

Agathi Arvanitidou, 2020

This book describes "The first Greek women in Khaki". It contains my personal, first-hand experiences over my voluntary military service in the Greek Army. Greek women voluntarily enlisted to the Greek Army in 1979. Firstly, I provide a historical overview of the women's participation, fighting side-by-side with men, at wars of the past. Then, I cite and correlate the first military involvement of women in modern era pioneering countries like Israel. Particularly, the Israeli armed forces that integrate young women in combat. And finally, I mention the voluntarily enlisting of the women in the Greek armed forces. I got fascinated by the opportunity to get involved in military service, so I underwent the medical exams and the mental tests in order to get immersed into the in-service training at the women's training Centre. I describe the programme of basic training at the Centre, starting from the morning wake up call, which is very different from my previous schedules as a civilian, until the very last minute before we are called in for the night at the barracks. I still remember my first shot with a gun, and especially with live ammunition, at the shooting range at Haidari. It is beyond any imagination! "I make my first shot with a FN weapon at 25 meters. Unforgettable that first contact with the weapon, with live ammunition! How can you forget that? - You take a prone position and shoot - A special experience! My grading is very good". The basic training ends with my oath taking and parade in front of the Minister of Defence, General Ioannis Katsadimas. I, then, continue with the specialised training that lasts six weeks. Precision training has now been substituted with military correspondence and typewriter courses. I am learning the military blind typewriter system! "After a few days of practicing the typewriter, the officer in charge covers all the keys of the typewriters with sticking plaster, so that we cannot see the letters. What a stress! I am forced to write entire lines with a blind system for the first time!" Having completed our training at the Centre, we are then transferred to C-Corps Army, where we are positioned in offices. Shooting practice now takes place at the shooting range at Thermi, and what an adventure this journey is! "Alongside the women from the camp of Paulos Melas and the women transmitters, we board the Steyr trucks to the shooting practice at Thermi. To our surprise, the drivers, soldiers from all over the country that serve part of their service at C-Corps Army, do not know the route to Thermi… Hours later, having roamed around the area, hoping to find someone to ask for directions, we arrive at our destination. Finally, when we arrive, we perform two shots at 300 and 400 meters." The first parade of the army at Thessaloniki, including women, is unforgettable and emotional. What an honour for all women! "A unit of female non-commissioned officers parades with the infantry, in campaign uniform and fully armed. It is the first time that women parade alongside men in Thessaloniki. They are very impressive and outshine the rest of the units, since they have been trained by a commando officer!" Amongst the military life, I also describe our excursions with my fellow, female soldiers in Athens and Thessaloniki. I describe moments of joy and relaxation, necessary for revitalisation. Moreover, I mention my efforts to maintain my position in the education system, where I had to temporarily leave to complete my voluntary service in the army. During these efforts, General Ioannis Katsadimas has to submit an official query at the Legal Council of the Government of Greece, which vindicates me. Having completed my service in the Army, I leave for the Congo, where I work at a Greek high school in Kinshasa for a year.

• Autore: Agathi Arvanitidou
• Editore: Agathi Arvanitidou
• Formato: EPUB2 con DRMFREE
• Lingua: grc
• Cloud: Sì Scopri di più
• Compatibilità: Tutti i dispositivi (eccetto Kindle)
• EAN: 9781393054931