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| Iraq |
| More Women in Combat |
| 2004-01-06 |
| Selected cuts from an article I just found and blogged When quick action is required in an emergency situation, a soldier often doesnât have time to think. The soldierâs training and instincts take over. Pfc. Jessica Lynn Nicholson, 21, a 1st Armored Division soldier with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 40th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade, Division Engineers, found out how true that adage is recently when she was working at a security checkpoint in Baghdad. The reason she, a tracked-vehicle mechanic, was assigned to the checkpoint was to search women. âBut, that day (about 9 a.m. on June 7) there were a lot of people gathering at this checkpoint and it was very busy. So, I was asked to search some men, too,â said Nicholson. During the second search, the soldier spotted a grenade hidden behind the visor on the driverâs side. The soldier shouted, âGrenade!â âI immediately got man down on the ground, face down, and I remember pressing his face into a sandbag,â Nicholson said. She continued to hold him down until other soldiers came over and zip-cuffed the man. Asked if she had grown up as a tomboy, Nicholson said, âNo, I was even a cheerleader for a little while. I guess I kind of grew up out in the middle of nowhere,â she said, âand I just always had to do whatever needed to be done.â She grew up in Silverton, Idaho, and, when she was 15, her family moved to Winnemucca, Nev. She said she has also boxed with some of the men in her company. Asked if she wore boxing gloves, she replied, âOh yes, of course, we had boxing gloves. I wouldnât want to hurt them.â Nicholsonâs weapon is an M-249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon), which she carries with her everywhere she goes. She has nicknamed her SAW, âCamille.â âItâs my baby,â she said. |
| Posted by:Chuck Simmins |
| #6 Chuck: I could venture an opinion on who's prettier, but I'd have to see 'em field-stripped first. Ar ar ar...
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| Posted by: Well-Armed Lamb 2004-1-6 11:03:19 PM |
| #5 When I blogged the article, I posted the photo, too. I don't know who's prettier, Pfc. Nicholson or Camille. Told the lovely wife about this girl. Her first words (from an old N Dakota farm girl) were "Farm girl, huh?" |
| Posted by: Chuck 2004-1-6 8:04:13 PM |
| #4 Ooh, the picture at the link is of Pfc. Nicholson and Camille. Even better. |
| Posted by: Well-Armed Lamb 2004-1-6 6:53:41 PM |
| #3 "She said the man then started crying and someone said he might have been embarrassed because it was a shame for a man in Iraq to get beat up by a woman." - I think he will have to leave the country. |
| Posted by: remote man 2004-1-6 6:44:46 PM |
| #2 This individual seems to have spent virtually all of her time in boondock places. Winnemucca? Beatty? Good heavens. :) |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-1-6 6:00:25 PM |
| #1 Nicholson, 5â6â and 120 pounds, said she had wrestled against boys in high school, because the boys and girls were not separated for wrestling, so, throwing a man down was nothing new to her. There's a picture of her at the link, I think I'm in love. She has nicknamed her SAW, âCamille.â "Say hello to my leetle friend!" |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-1-6 4:09:18 PM |