When I first joined this organization, I was the youngest member of the chapter. All the WWII ladies called my aunt and I the Baby WACs. It was in 1994. The WWII ladies were happy to educate me on all the procedures and the reason we do what we do. Back then there were reunions every 2 years at Ft. McClellon and conventions someplace new every year. I attended a reunion with one of the Chapter #3 oldest members. Catherine Babbitt’s first husband was a WWI veteran who had anger issues and was prone to violence. Catherine divorced him and when the Second World War began, at age 29 she joined. She made SGT and led convoys of trucks driven by WACs from the ammunitions plant to the rail yard. She married after the war and had one son. She was always up for an adventure. We went to a reunion together. She showed up at my house at 4:00 am in her brand-new Cadillac beeping the horn and yelling “We’re burning daylight!” We had a blast together. She introduced me to the women who had been the leaders of the Women’s Army Corps. She told me stories.
Several others from our chapter were there as well. MaryAnn Robitan, a retired First SGT was banned from Ft. McClellon permanently after she took Gen. Hoisington’s jeep for a joy ride around the base. Col Jean Madden was quite embarrassed by this. Since I did not embarrass Col. Jean in any way, she allowed me to accompany her to the El Paso Convention in 1999. She put me to work. I got to help with registration, help the timekeepers, and work on the election committee counting votes. By the next year I was National Publicity/Historian. I served under Eldora Engebretson, Lyzette Rhone and Ann Tyler. Every year I attended she had more things for me to help with. She made me the Convention Chair when we hosted the Convention in 2003. By this time, I was president of Chapter #3 and National Publicity Chair. I resigned in 2006 as my children were young and took up most of my time. My Aunt Teresa Kuzmenko and I continued to serve on the Scholarship Committee for 10 years. These ladies had all become my mentors. The WWII ladies who have passed away are deeply missed. The ones who stepped up to leadership roles were well trained.
What does a mentor do? Mentors should be active listeners who respond with helpful feedback. They make themselves available when their mentee needs help. They are open to any question their mentee asks regarding their job. Find common ground. There are many ways in which we are alike:
Such as-You can’t understand how people don’t understand “military time.”
You don’t trust anyone named Jody.
You can’t watch military dramas because they are corny or just plain wrong.
You walk fast and your first step is always with your left foot.
You still use the basic training “knife hand” to get your point across.
People are always impressed by how ridiculously fast you eat.
You laugh when you see people on Survivor cry after not seeing their family in two weeks.
You don’t carry things in your right hand.
You still refer to everyone around you by their last name or a stupid nickname you gave them.
You are capable of sleeping anywhere.
1. Get To Know Your Mentee Well
Get to know your mentee. Ask them a lot of questions. Take the time to take note of what makes them tick. What are their challenges? Goals? How can you support them?
2. Understand What the Mentee Wants to Learn
As a first-time mentor, get to the core of what your mentee wants to learn. Mentors sometimes fall into the trap of doing more talking than listening. Understand why they picked you.
3. Help With the Little Things
Often mentors want to provide big insights and give general advice. The best mentors are willing to help with trivial things that are actually big things.
4. Know Yourself
Take time to assess exactly what you have to offer as a mentor—your skills, strengths, experiences, knowledge, and networks. Go into the relationship knowing what you bring to the table and then partner with your mentee to see how that aligns with what they want to learn and share.
5. Remember Your Mentee's Situation
It is difficult, but important to balance the huge amount of experience (that qualifies you as a mentor) and the situation the mentee is in. A mentor must remember what it was like when they were in this early stage, because not everything they can do now is also suitable for a mentee. situation?
6. Establish Expectations
As a mentor, it is important to set clear expectations of what a thriving mentoring relationship looks like to your mentee. As a mentor, you are there to provide guidance and support to further their goals.
7. Let The Mentee Lead
Much like coaching, mentoring is about guiding and empowering, not directing.. Use your expertise only to inform your questions.
8. Stop Judging Yourself
"Get over yourself" is the best advice I was given to become a great mentor and leader. Self-critique is often the roadblock keeping you from being great because self-judging leads you to question every decision. But your mentee is focused on their own development. You only need to do your best, teach from experience, and know you will always be working on what you teach
9. Practice Active Listening
One of the most important things one can do for a mentee is to listen. Let them talk. Do not feel like you need to have all the answers. If you can provide that sounding board, you are a valuable resource.
10. Ensure The Relationship Is Reciprocal
A trusting, collaborative relationship is foundational for mentoring partnerships. One vital element of the relationship is reciprocity. Each partner contributes to the relationship and learns from the other.
11. Share The Good and The Bad
As a first-time mentor, it is important to realize you are not expected to be a superhero with every answer and every accomplishment. It is truly more important to be authentic and allow your mentee to learn from your mistakes, growing pains, good choices, and best practices.
12. Get Excited
People like to feel good. Charge yourself up with great memories or music before the interaction. Then imagine you are "throwing" positivity at your mentee. Emotion rubs off, and they will remember you for it.
When you attend Convention you are in for a treat at the Company Party. At some time during the party, familiar music will play. You might recognize it as the music from the movie The Bridge Over the River Kwai from 1957. The music was extremely popular written in 1914 by a British Army bandmaster and named the Colonel Bogey March.
When the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps came into being on May 14, 1942. Col. Oveta Culp Hobby addressed the first WAAC Officer class at Ft. Des Moines Iowa on July 25, 1942. She said that they were the first women to serve. She told them “You have a debt and a date – a debt to democracy and a date with destiny.”
Those words were woven into a marching song for the Women’s Army Corps during WWII. The song goes like this:
Duty - WAC Song(Tune: Col. Bogey March words by Major Dorothy E. Nielsen, USAR)Duty is calling you and me,We have a date with destiny,Ready, the WACs are ready,Their pulse is steady,A world to set free,Da de da da da da,Service, we're in heart and soul,Victory is our only goal.We love our Country's honor,And we'll defend it against any foe.
When we sing this little song from before our time, it connects us all together. When we get up and march around the room, we are united in purpose.
Even though my platoon did not sing this song, even though the Army was phasing out the WAC, I feel the connection. Many of us tried so hard to fit in with the men. To not be singled out because you are a woman. In America there are 2 million women veterans. We integrated into the Army. Here we can celebrate how special you really are.
So even if you were not a WAC, even if you do not know the song, learn it and sing it proudly. It is your history, and when we march around the room, I like to envision those first WAACs marching with us. They sing and march to celebrate you and all you have accomplished.
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