Veteran, activist to discuss women in the military

February 01, 2012

Former U.S. Army sergeant and Arabic linguist Kayla Williams comes to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on Feb. 6.

In this free event at Young Auditorium at 7 p.m., Williams will recount her experiences in a military intelligence unit of the U.S Army's 101st Airborne Division.

Her book "Love My Rifle More Than You: Young and Female in the U.S. Army" discusses the challenges faced by women serving in the armed forces and the additional challenges they face readjusting to civilian life as veterans.

Susan Johnson, associate professor of political science, says many UW-Whitewater military students and veterans are excited to hear Williams speak. "This is such a timely topic given the increasing numbers of women in the armed forces and the challenges they'll face as combat operations end," she said.

Williams is a member of the board of directors of Grace After Fire and a senior adviser of VoteVets.org. She regularly blogs at The Huffington Post and VetVoice.com and has appeared on numerous media outlets including CNN, Fox, NPR and HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher."

She recently earned a master's degree in international affairs with a focus on the Middle East from American University, and continues to work on issues related to U.S. policy and the treatment of veterans.

Her appearance is part of Contemporary Issues Lecture Series, sponsored by the College of Letters and Sciences.