The Women Army Corps was started in 1942 as an auxiliary to the all-male Army and was disbanded 19 years ago to integrate women in the military. WAC members often had to deal with many forms of discrimination. They were not provided life insurance and could not get veterans health benefits; they were also limited at first to jobs such as clerks, typists and cooks. In the 1970s, former members raised over $500,000 and contributed over 5,000 artifacts to start a museum in Fort McClellan, Alabama dedicated to the women’s service in the Army. Now, former members and women throughout the nation are enraged with the Army’s plan to destroy the museum. The Army claims it will reassemble the museum elsewhere, but the women are not satisfied. The last director of the Women’s Army Corps, Brigadier General Mary Clarke commented, “We never dreamed this would happen. The Army has not treated us right on this.” Karen Chambliss, began a 33-year Army career as a training member of the WAC Training Battalion, commented, “How dare they take it and destroy it! They’re going to bury our history. I get angry thinking about it.”
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