Afghanistan's First Female Military Helicopter Pilot

It’s Women’s History Month! This week we are focusing on women in combat.

Latifa and her younger sister Laliuma were determined to become military pilots. Their father had just returned home from six years in jail after being accused of being a member of the Mujahadeen. He was thin and brittle from his time in prison. But as a former government official, he valued education. He wanted to see his daughters soar. 

The military wasn’t so welcoming. Latifa and her sister were refused entry. The army doctor told them they had heart and hearing problems, even though they didn’t.   

“They failed us on our medical examinations three times.”

The sisters passed a civilian doctor’s medical check and fought their way in as the first women admitted to the Afghan military flight school in 1989.”

9 Notes/ Hide

  1. squallleon reblogged this from aauw
  2. n-e-way reblogged this from aauw and added:
    fight the good fight
  3. aauw reblogged this from harpieswithhandgrenades and added:
    It’s Women’s History Month! This week we are focusing on women in combat.
  4. harpieswithhandgrenades posted this