Women in uniform
Fifteen in battle to be Miss GDF
By Oluatoyin Alleyne
Stabroek News
January 27, 2007
If there is one thing the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is not synonymous with it is pageants. But that's just what will be happening in the army come next month. Fifteen members of the GDF will be facing off in probably one of the strangest battles, a pageant.
But unsurprisingly, this pageant, unlike any other, will see the delegates hoisting weapons to their shoulders and firing them in a three-mile combat exercise and lobbing grenades.
Head of co-ordinating team for the pageant, Captain Loraine Garraway told The Scene that the pageant is definitely not a beauty pageant. To confirm this 70% of the points will be garnered from the physical aspect of the pageant, as the delegates showcase aspects of being a soldier.
And Garraway said that contrary to what people think pageantry is not new to the GDF as in the 70s there were some pageants. This pageant is being held to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Women's Army Corps, which will be celebrated on February 6. The pageant is one of the many activities planned for the anniversary.
Delegates will be asked to demonstrate the physical fitness, marksmanship, poise, talent and elegance of the military woman. The talent category of the pageant is set for February 1 and on February 2 the delegates will compete in the physical fitness segment which includes a three-mile combat run, navigating an obstacle course and a grenade throwing exercise. These two categories will be held at Camp Stephenson, Timehri. The grand finale is set for February 9 at the Camp Ayanganna ball field. All three aspects of the competition are opened to the public but they would have to pay $300 for the final night to see the delegates in their swim wear, evening wear and question and answer segments. Tickets can be had from any of the delegates, the army bases, Wireless Connections and Cultronics on South Road.
The queen will win for herself a motor scooter, computer educational package, cash and jewellery among other prizes. The first and second runners-up will also receive cash prizes.
As to the criteria for the delegates' selection, the captain said the 16 units in the army were each asked to select a woman to represent them. However, one of the unit's delegates is no longer part of the pageant.
Today The Scene gives readers an opportunity to meet eight of the delegates up close and personal. All of the delegates are Lance Corporals.
Twenty-three-year-old Monica Welcome who will be representing the Fourth Engineer Battalion described herself as, among other things, "…tall, sexy and sweet." The former Mahaicony resident said that the pageant will help her to improve her confidence level and she would also be learning "many other different things". The swim suit segment is likely to be her favourite as she wants to showcase her beautiful body. Monica said she has been enjoying the training and sees the pageant as just another challenge which she plans to overcome by being crowned the queen.
Twenty-seven-year-old Susan Richards-Parkinson represents the Air Corps. This Lindener is the only married delegate and she said her husband, who is also a member of the army, had no problem with her entering the pageant in fact he has been very supportive. She said that apart from showcasing her unit and associating with other females, she wants to remove the perception of the public that army women are all crude and unpolished.
"I want to show them that there are polished, intelligent and beautiful women in the GDF," she said with a confident flick of her head. Susan has been in the army for the past eight years and her initial reason for joining was her curiosity but she has not regretted the move and she has now become a very disciplined and a good manager of time, something she had a problem with previously. She is a medic with a five-year-old son who is her number one fan. She is sad that she does not spend as much time with him as she would like, but said she has learnt that it is not how much time you spend but rather what you do with the time you have. The Scene gives Susan a thumbs-up.
Samantha Yarrick is also 27 and she represents the First Infantry Battalion Group and hails from Timehri. When she looks in the mirror, she sees "…a tall, slim…" young woman with "sexy eyes." She said that the pageant experience would definitely help to build her confidence. She finds being with so many women, after all the army is male dominated, challenging but she is dealing with and enjoying the experience. She decided to join the army since there are so many opportunities, most importantly the opportunity to further your studies while earning a salary. She has been serving for seven years and works in the computer section of her unit.
Twenty-five-year-old Shellon Bullen is a bubbly individual who looks much younger than her age. She said she loves communicating with people. Representing the Second Infantry Battalion Group Reserve, Shellon finds the pageant training lovely. She admitted that she was very nervous at the beginning but she is getting over that and feels that she can walk away with the crown. She is also from Linden and had served in the Guyana National Service. She has been a member of the GDF for the past three years. She said while the army is different from the GNS she is enjoying the experience of being a military woman.
Latoya Henry, 22, from the Ordinance Corps, oozes sexiness and she is well aware of it as she describes herself as being, "…hot, tempting, tormenting and teasing." What a combination! Watch out guys, as she boldly states that she is tormenting to men only. She is also gaining a lot of experience from the pageant training and she said from the word go she was up for the competition. She said she has always wanted to be a member of the army, since she was a child. And she has never regretted the decision to fallow her dream. Her entire family has been very supportive of her and come February 9 she feels she will be Miss GDF
As soon as you set eyes on 24-year-old Ann Marks, who represents the Medical Corps, you detect that she is shy. She admits it and said she is working on it as she wants to win the pageant. This young woman is very petite; not something you would expect of a military woman. One of the reasons she is in the pageant is to show the public the accomplishments and intelligence of a female soldier. She tells us she loves to smile, we saw as much, and she gets along with the other delegates quite well. The army for Ann is a job opportunity and an opportunity to pursue her academic goals. She is also a medic and while training to become a soldier was tough, she said one just had to be focused to get through it.
Without a doubt 28-year-old Monique Skeete could be described as 'pageant material' - tall, slim with a great body and a pretty face. She represents the Defence Headquarters Unit and quite rightly sees delegate number two, Susan Richards-Parkinson as her toughest competitor. She may be wrong, but we agree with her. Monique said she always wanted to be a queen and she sees this as her big opportunity to fulfil that dream. She admitted that she has been told from time to time that she should enter a pageant. Asked about her decision to join the army, since she does not look the type, she said that from very young she always liked the physical aspect of the army.
She said sometimes she finds the training for the pageant tough and she feels like giving up but just keeps going. But she adds that the toughest part is hoisting the gun on her shoulder and running for three miles and combating.
Twenty-four-year-old Valvo Griffith is representing the Ordinary Ratings Unit and she seems to be a woman with a lot of fire in her - a very determined woman. She has had two years in the army and like the others is in the pageant to build her confidence.
And she became a soldier because she always like doing things that are male dominated; she is enjoying it. She does not know if she will win as she is not good with the gun but the fact that she is good with the running aspect may help her. She describes herself as being smart and fun to be around. samantha_alleyne2000@yahoo.com