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Great women are not phenomena, but more the product of what women become with the proper support.
The mother of Sgt. 1st Class Angela Martin said she was thrilled to learn her daughter was not only selected as the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center Representative for the U.S. Army Europe Phenomenal Woman Scroll of Impact, but that she gave her credit for making her the woman she is today.
The scroll was developed as a way of recognizing phenomenal women in the USAREUR community as part of National Women’s History Month. Nominations are based on family, social, emotional, physical and spiritual attributes and how the attributes of the individual selectees have contributed to three or more of the five pillars in their military communities.
Although Sergeant Martin has been on the job only for about five months as the NCOIC of production and service within the Nutrition Care Division at LRMC, the 17-year Army veteran quickly made an impact, said Staff Sgt. Doshka Bowens, the colleague who nominated her.
“Her motto is, ‘Nothing is impossible if we just believe,’” said Bowens in her nomination letter. “Even when we have doubts or obstacles, she says never give up hope, stand firm in what you believe because the outcome can only get better if we try and have faith.”
Below are answers provided by Sergeant Martin on her thoughts on being selected as the LRMC nominee for the award.
Q: How do you feel about winning the award?
A: Being nominated and selected as the LRMC Phenomenal Woman is a great honor for any woman, but for me it is more than an honor, it is a privilege to be recognized for my efforts. I pride myself in doing everything I can to make life better for those around me, and to know that (Sergeant) Bowens (who nominated her) and others appreciate my efforts, goes beyond winning this award. I don’t do what I do for recognition, but to make life better for everyone. To know that I have made a difference is what I live for and that is my true reward.
Q: Since this is related to National Women’s History Month, are there women you admire or look to as role models?
A: I admire all women that have taken a step to improve life for someone else, but my role model is my mother. I learned a lot from her and she has never failed me or let me down. She struggled to raise my siblings and I with pride and doing things right the first time. Every day I work to be better and do better not for myself, but for the
good of others. If people in the world would not focus so much on what they can accomplish for themselves, but look to help others, then we would have less poverty, less hurt and pain, and more love and concern for others. People have forgotten that God put us on
earth to love each other and to do good. We must fight the good fight of faith and know that we
are the only ones that can make a change in this world.
Q: What are your thoughts on opportunities for women in the Army or in today’s society?
A: I believe that women have come a long way, and yet we still have a way to go. Every day we accomplish things such as holding respectable positions in corporations, winning significant awards and obtaining high ranks in the military. We have taken hold of opportunities and demonstrated that we can and will do everything we can to become equal to men. Our final accomplishment will be when we become president of the United States of America. I believe once the right woman is elected, then she will do great things for our country, and that will be our biggest task — to know and show the world that women are made for more than just producing babies and cooking dinner, but that we can be great financial advisers, great politicians and even a great president.
Q: What are your goals or ambitions in life?
A: To make a difference in every person’s life that I meet. I desire that when I die my legacy will be one worth repeating. I want people to speak great things about how much I helped them, encouraged them or influenced them to be a better person. Life is not about what you can accomplish alone, but how we all can achieve more if we stand and support each other.
Q: Is there any advice you would like to give to young female Soldiers?
A: If I could meet with all the young female Soldiers, I would encourage them to strive to be the best women they can be (and) to take pride in the way they dress and act in public and behind closed doors. I would encourage them to be a role model for the younger ladies around them. The way we dress, speak and carry ourselves demonstrates to the future women how they should be. TV shows our young ladies that we should be trashy, loud and hard core, but we should be loving, caring, sincere, attentive and dedicated to making life better. We don’t have to act or do the things that society says we should, but their goals should be to continue to help women evolve and demonstrate a better depiction of what a woman really is.
