I want to thank Rabbi Block for inviting me to talk tonight. I joined the Air Force in 1956. The Korean War had just ended and the Air Force desperately needed Physical Therapists. I had decided against becoming a physical education teacher in New York City during my fourth year of college and had just heard about PT in the Air Force. They had a special scholarship program where I would select my graduate school and they would pay my salary in exchange for 2 years of service. One opportunity led to another and 27 years later I retired.

After school my first assignment was at Parks AFB, outside of San Francisco. It was here that I had my first experience with the Jewish Community Center offering the military a Sunday morning bagels and lox brunch. The Jewish Welfare Board additionally supported this program. Parks did not have a chaplain, so when we wanted to go to services, we went to the local community - as we did at any base without a chaplain - we were always welcome. Although I never had any Jewish education, and coming from New York, I always thought we were in the majority. I never liked Happy Hours, and took advantage of being Jewish by going to Services rather than to the Club. This offered many experiences, as I never knew what facet of Judaism our Rabbi would come from. In 1960 I found myself as the first physical therapist assigned to Whellus AFB, which was in Tripoli, Libya. Needless to say this was before Kadhafi.

At that time most of the Doctors were drafted, and found out that the easiest way out of an assignment in Libya was to go to Israel and have their passports stamped, thus being kicked out of the country and given an assignment in Europe. The military Rabbis stationed in Europe were our closest contact with Judaism, Lay leader to coordinate activities. As a First Lt. was the senior Jewish officer on the base and therefore was offered this extra duty, which I willingly accepted. waited until I was ready to come back to the States before went to Israel. faving a Protestant chaplain write a letter stating I was a member of his congregation allowed me to go into Jordan, see the Western Wall and other Jewish sites, not available to Israelites at that time. And then walking through the Mandlebaum Gate was an extra special Ambassador to Libya allowed me to see Egypt on a special visa, which made my getting my Lebanese visa easy.

There was a small community of Libyans that were not Arabs, but were descendants of Italians and had been there for coordinated trips for the Jewish military to their homes for the holidays. The main restriction that we had was that no food or wine could have a Made in Israel label.

The best part was when I traded our commercial box of Matzo for their large pizza type unleavened bread that the tailor kept on top of his steam iron machine, awaiting my arrival after work.

The prior King and his wife were pro-western and utilized our hospital for their care. She needed PT for her shoulder. I never removed my Jewish star the entire time I was in Libya, although I didn't discuss my religion while in the Arab community.

1960 was the time when the United States was no longer seeing new Polio cases, but many countries throughout the World still were. The Orthopedic Surgeon and I were asked to help in the local hospital working with youngsters that had been kept at home with no hope of treatment until word spread across the desert that we were there. We trained the local nurse's aide what to do during the week until our next visit. I knew it was time for me to leave Libya when I started saying hello to the women I worked with and all I could see was the one eye that wasn't covered by their outer garment.

But, before I left I was given the honor of looking into the window of the building where they were holding Friday night services. For a woman this was unheard of. And, they actually let me sit with the men and children at the Seder, while the women were in the kitchen.

I never had the problems of the women in the service that weren't working in the hospital. We always had a high level of respect. To paraphrase a frequently heard comment "you wear a white uniform, you didn't join the service for sex." Fortunately this attitude has changed significantly. Just a point of information- in the 1060s and early 70s, a woman was forced to leave the service if she was pregnant, whether she was married or not. And if someone married a man that had children from a previous marriage, she, too, was forced to leave the service.

My career progressed well, and I never felt that being Jewish held me back, but being single did (I'll mention that later). I always requested the Jewish holidays off and in exchange I always volunteered to cover the duty on Christian holidays. I still go to Lackland AFB for the Sunday brunch for the basic trainees. And I emphasize this exchange to the Basics. If you want to be respected for your religious beliefs, you must respect others for theirs. The JCC and the JWB still support this program.

The only time I pulled rank and emphasized my seniority was when the PT department at March AFB, Riverside, California, was asked to treat President Eisenhower. As it was easier for us to go down to his home in Palm Desert, rather than set up the security at the base, I had the opportunity to meet Mrs. Eisenhower also. I must confess that although it was Passover, I did accept their invitation for breakfast.

In 1970 I went to the Philippines. This brought about another series of interesting experiences. But walking to the Chapel with our Orthodox Rabbi during a Typhoon was probably the most unique.

Prior to my coming to San Antonio, I was stationed at Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls. While there, I was considered for the top position at the school where new incoming medical officers had their 3 weeks orientation to the military. It was years later, when a friend that sat on the committee told me the reason I wasn’t selected, was that I was single, and that would not give a truly representative picture of military life. Oh, well - if I had received that position, I might never have come to San Antonio.

I arrived at Lackland AFB, where I had the additional position of Protocol officer, and during Fiesta I accompanied 2 Egyptian Generals to breakfast. Again during Passover, but this time I had my Matzos. But, why did my boss inquire what that strange cracker was? That afternoon the base assigned us a female driver and the 2 men sat in the back. What a true culture shock that must have been for them.

When it came time for me to retire 10 years later, I opted to have a full parade. Not as much for myself, but to show the incoming female basic trainees that it was possible for a woman to make it to the top.

I continued to go to services at Lackland for another 10 years and worship with Rabbis - 2 Conservative, 1 Reconstructionist, 1 Orthodox, and finally decided I needed to settle down at Temple Beth-El.

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