It’s time once again to feature some of the smart conversations that occur around the country through the Eisenhower Series College Program. For over 50 years, the Eisenhower Program has reached out to colleges and town halls across the nation to introduce War College students to audiences that are often unfamiliar with members of the U.S. military. This episode features Qiana Harder, Seana Jardin, and Carina Kelley as they discuss their personal and professional experiences as women serving in the United States Army. They join podcast editor Ron Granieri to discuss the challenges they’ve experienced during their time in the military, as well as to highlight the successes and opportunities they’ve encountered. With nearly seventy years of combined experience, these three soldiers point out that while there is still plenty of room for improvement, military service for women has come a long way. They believe there are plentiful opportunities open to the next generation of women for a successful, fulfilling career in the U.S. Army. And these three ladies prove that fighting like a girl is a good thing.
I’ve been asked ‘would I ever feel comfortable with my daughters serving?’ and my answer is a whole-hearted yes.
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Qiana N. Harder is an Active Guard Reserve Military Police officer and lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. Her previous assignment was as Branch Chief of the Army Threat Integration Center. She is returning to the Pentagon this summer to serve in the HQDA, G-3/5/7. She is a member of the AY24 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College and the Eisenhower Series College Program.
Seana M. Jardin is a human resources officer and a colonel in the U.S. Army. During her 25 years in uniform, Colonel Jardin has served in a wide variety of organizations, most recently as the Staff Director for the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS). She is a member of the AY24 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College and the Eisenhower Series College Program.
Carina L. Kelley is a U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery colonel who has held multiple leadership positions throughout her 23-year career. Most recently, she served as the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Branch Chief at Indo-Pacific Command. She is a member of the AY24 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College and the Eisenhower Series College Program.
Ron Granieri is Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE.
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense.
Photo Description: A Civil Affairs candidate from the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, low crawls under barbed wire on a Leader Reaction Course as part of a Civil Affairs Assessment and Selection course at Camp Mackall, North Carolina February 5, 2023. The course assessed candidates for trainability and suitability to attend the Civil Affairs Team Leader or the Civil Affairs Noncommissioned Officer pathway and allowed the Civil Affairs Proponent to select candidates for attributes and competencies required to be a member of a Civil Affairs Team.
Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by K. Kassens