美国国家公共电台 NPR For A Black Woman In The Military, Harassment Was Its Own Battle

 

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

Time now for StoryCorps' Military Voices Initiative, recording¹ and sharing the voices of service members and their families.

Denise Baken enlisted² in the National Guard in 1975 - following in her father's military footsteps. At StoryCorps, the retired³ colonel told her children, Richard and Christian⁴, just how closely her father's service mirrored her own.

DENISE BAKEN: As a black man in the military in the '40s and '50s, my dad had suffered such abuse. One time he was called the N-word, and he got so mad at this officer that he slugged him. And he was the one brought up on charges. And he was reduced in rank. But he stayed in because he loved the military. And it's because of him that I loved the military.

RICHARD YINGLING: Did you experience similar sorts of...

BAKEN: I did, but from the standpoint of being a woman. The guys loved watching women walk away from them, and they would make their comments. And so I made sure I wore a foundation garment so nothing moved. It was just the way we women handled it then.

I tried to be, for some of my young people coming up, their person that they could look to to see someone who led with integrity. But I just felt the weight of the difficulties, just over a long period. And I remember I was walking across a hall, and one woman came upon me. And she said you're stooping; don't ever do that. We're very proud of you. And that startled me. And I stood up straight and kept walking.

YINGLING: Can you talk about why you turned down the assignment that would have given you general?

BAKEN: I don't know that any assignment would have done that. All I know is if I was beginning to stoop, somehow, maybe they were winning and I didn't realize. And doggone it, no. I just didn't want to do it anymore. I wanted out.

(SOUNDBITE OF SNAKE OIL'S "JUNG GREEZY")

SIMON: Colonel Denise Baken, who retired from the U.S. Army in 2003 after 28 years of service. After the military, Denise earned her PhD in biodefense from George Mason University. She now runs her own consulting firm advising the Department of Defense⁵. Her interview will be archived along with hundreds of thousands of others at the Library of Congress.

(SOUNDBITE OF SNAKE OIL'S "JUNG GREEZY")

1 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

2 enlisted   

adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
• He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

4 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。