Shoot Like a Girl by Mary Jennings Hegar

I might have retired and said, “The Air Force missed out on having a great STO.” However, about the time I was considering this, my stepdaughter told me she wanted to be a Marine. But because I’m a woman, I couldn’t apply for it. I would have been perfectly suited for that position, because I was battle-proven and composed under fire. When I could no longer fly because of an injury, the only other job I would have wanted was special tactics officer. Why did you sue the Pentagon over the exclusion of women from combat? It was touching to hear the commander describe how it turned the tide of that battle-his weary soldiers were renewed after seeing us rush into the firefight to rescue the wounded.

We got a radio call from the soldier’s commander saying that we had given his troops inspiration. On one mission we went in to pick up a wounded Danish soldier. In addition to the medals, feedback from fellow soldiers means the world to me. Saying that we went above and beyond what is already a high standard is a tremendous honor. As a rescue pilot, you do a lot of things that people would consider acting with valor, but it is your job. It’s an honor to receive the DFC, especially with the Valor Device. How do you feel about receiving the DFC and Purple Heart? There were easily four or five times we should have died but didn’t. But you can’t hold on to that view when you experience what we did in Afghanistan. I had developed this agnostic, “chaos reigns” view of the universe. Spiritually, it was very impactful to me. It didn’t sink in until days later what had happened. In 2017 Hegar published her memoir, Shoot Like a Girl: One Woman’s Dramatic Fight in Afghanistan and on the Home Front, which TriStar has optioned for a film.Īt the time we doing our job and completely focused on our patients and protecting each other. She served three tours in Afghanistan on combat search and rescue and medevac missions. The Air Force veteran began her career in aircraft maintenance and was selected for pilot training with the Air National Guard in 2004. For her actions in defense of both her crew and patients Hegar received the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor Device-only the second ever awarded to a woman. The crew then transferred the patients to another helicopter, ensuring their survival. Due to fuel loss from the attack, however, they were forced to land 2 miles away. George Dona were wounded, they effected the rescue. On July 29, 2009, while attempting a medevac rescue in Afghanistan, the HH-60 Pave Hawk rescue helicopter Major Mary Jennings Hegar was co-piloting came under enemy fire. TriStar has optioned Hegar’s memoir, Shoot Like a Girl, and has approached Angelina Jolie to portray the decorated medevac pilot. Mary Jennings Hegar: Shoot Like a Girl Close

Shoot Like a Girl by Mary Jennings Hegar