Does Your Gender Get In The Way Of The Controls Or Something?

I was a woman in the military — not only that, but I was a welder, working with mechanics. I picked up a few things I didn’t already know and was qualified to operate the heavy machinery.

Our BN XO [Battalion Executive Officer] drove by while I was operating said machinery, and screamed at us to stop.

BN XO: “Stop! That girl is illegally operating this equipment!”

I was working with the guy who trains everyone in the battalion on operating that equipment. But clearly, I was doing it illegally.