2023-05-08 19:56:08
When Cielito Jackson shared a table with his fellow Filipino-Americans in 1985 at his first destination—Fort Drum, New York—he felt a sense of camaraderie. This tradition would follow her as she was moved from one destination to another, even abroad, in countries like Germany, Bosnia and Iraq. Despite her being far from her home, the tradition of enjoying Filipino cuisine and conversing in her native language gave her a sense of well-being.
“There is a Filipino trait called ‘bayanihan’ (community unity) which, along with hospitality, is prominent in core values,” he explains. “We have a joke that if you invite one, that person invites one or two and so on.”
For Jackson, now retired with the rank of master sergeant, these meetings went beyond grilling food. They signified the power a community has and the ability to overcome obstacles during a 32-year military career. Today, as an advocate for women in the military, Jackson, 54, underscores the meaning of camaraderie, which she believes has a profound impact on soldiers on and off the battlefield.
Overcoming stereotypes of military service
Jackson moved to the United States from the Philippines as a teenager and joined the Army in 1985 for two reasons: to give back to the country that had welcomed his family and to seek an education.
“I had only been in the country for two years,” he says. “So she had an accent. He had just finished high school he was very young. All of those things converged somehow.”
In 1990 she accepted a position as a career consultant for the Army.
“My responsibility was to retain our soldiers,” he says. “If they decide they want to leave the Army, then we also advise them to go into the Reserves so they can continue their service.”
At first, Jackson met with skepticism and disapproval; some labeled her an office bureaucrat, someone who would likely never experience combat. To make matters worse, a civilian employee went so far as to suggest that her role was insignificant and unnecessary.
Despite it all, she persevered.
In 1995, surprisingly, she was sent to Bosnia. That meant leaving her 5-year-old daughter, whom she had recently operated on, in the care of her ailing grandfather.
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