MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO -- Hundreds of women Marines from all over the world rallied at the Westin Galleria Hotel in Houston for the 2008 Women Marines Association Conference, Aug. 28 to Sept. 3.
The WMA is a civilian non-profit veterans association comprised of women who have served or are serving honorably in the United States Marine Corps regular or reserve components. Every two years, WMA holds a national convention where members gather for a week of educational seminars, visiting with old friends, making new friends, attending banquets and business meetings and discovering what the locale has to offer.
The convention kicked off with an opening banquet where WMA greeted the Marines and Brig. Gen. Angie Salinas, commanding general, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region, who served as the guest speaker.
In her remarks, Brig. Gen. Salinas acknowledged all the women attending from the different eras, and said that it was great to see the old and young faces who attended to show their support for such a great organization.
“I enjoyed the opening banquet because I was reunited with some female Marines that I haven’t seen for a long time,” said Cpl. Micaela Gastellem, logistics, Edson Range, Camp Pendleton, Calif. “We also were given the opportunity to talk to some of the female Marines from WWII, and listen to their stories on how much the Marine Corps has changed.”
During the convention, Marines attended workshops where they were educated on the Wounded Warriors Program, women’s health, preparing for deployment, preventing identity theft, and Veterans Association benefits.
After the classes desisted and night fell, the Marines gathered in the hotel’s Hospitality Suite to participate in dancing, karaoke and raffles where they could win Marine memorabilia.
On the final day of the convention, the Marines donned their dress blues for the grand banquet where they were joined by Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, and Gen. James T. Conway, Commandant of the Marine Corps, who was the guest of honor for the night.
Gen. Conway touched on some of the accomplishments that female Marines have achieved overseas, and reminded spectators of how vastly the roles of women in the Marine Corps has changed and will continue to progress.
“Women have come a long way since Opha Mae Johnson enlisted,” said Gen. Conway. “We have seen complete integration of women into the Marine Corps, and in my perspective they are not women Marines, they are Marines.”
Gastellem said that she is looking forward to the next convention and she hopes the turnout is just as great. She said she is looking forward to sharing more of her Marine Corps experiences and further learning about women Marines heritage from those who came before her.