Change Of Life

• Ellen Streat, Grade 8, Casey Grammar School
• Short Story
• 2017

Excellence Award in the 'Spread The Word 2017' competition

Left right left. I always counted my steps when we marched in parades. I was proud that I was wearing my own medals this year, not just my grandfathers.
At the end, the other Commanders told their war stories. I was asked to talk about what happened to me in Iraq, but I wasn’t ready.
Afterwards, I walked around Melbourne. It was nice to be home, but people stared at my medals. People said, ‘I love your medals. What war did your Grandfather fight in?’ I was lost for words. I’d put my medals on the left, the way you were meant to. I told them, ‘These are my medals. I fought in the war and I will fight in many more.’ I was shocked. Just because I was a woman doesn’t mean I couldn’t fight in the Army.
I had a meeting to discuss tactics with the NSW Squadron at 10:00am. The doors were guarded and as I walked past, one of them grabbed my arm and yanked me roughly back saying, ‘Foot soldiers-’ turning, I bashed my elbow into his face, breaking his nose. ‘Oh my god! I’m so sorry! I just got back from the front lines, I’m still jumpy!’ Oh. My. God. I did that.
The guard had finally seen my commander’s badge, and he apologised, talking thickly through the blood gushing down his face. My soldiers were laughing. I was really embarrassed but also mad. Again with the woman thing? Just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean I can’t fight. Hello people, it’s the 21st century!
The meeting went for 3 hours and then I escaped. Everyone in the NSW Squadron was trying to contradict me. I was sick of it. Eventually I called off the meeting saying, ‘Let’s finish it tomorrow.’
My second, Alex, told me to say what happened in Iraq. I told him no. I wasn’t ready.
The meeting the next day was worse. Every 5 minutes, I was interrupted by people who thought I was wrong. After 4 hours the NSW Commander said with disgust, ‘All of this is wrong. Women can’t think like men!’
My platoon was in an uproar, indignant on my behalf. I just said, ‘Do you know this works? Do you see this badge? I earned it.’ I told them what happened.
‘The opposition captured Alex and 3 other soldiers. They told me to replace them and they would go free. So I alone walked the 5km to their base. My platoon on either side of me, using the trees as cover. I approached them, they set the captives free and I shot their Captain. That was the signal. My men stormed their base and no one survived.’ Silence met my speech. Some gaped in astonishment. My story spread really quickly, because at HQ, everyone would stare and whisper. At lunch Alex came up to me. ‘Hey, everyone’s talking about you. They think you’re a hero.’ ‘That’s a bit much,’ I muttered. ‘Well, it’s the truth!’ Alex grinned.