The producers of an upcoming documentary that chronicles the decades-long battle for equality in the U.S. military share their military background, the genesis of the film and more in today’s episode of Tango Alpha Lima.
The producers of an upcoming documentary that chronicles the decades-long battle for equality in the U.S. armed forces share their military background, the genesis of the film and more in today’s episode of The American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast.
“I wanted to fly, I wanted to be as forward deployed as I could,” Gulf War veteran Joy Bronson says, explaining her desire to be a Navy pilot. “There were a lot of restrictions on women at that time and I found that frustrating.”
Her life made a pivot on Memorial Day 2012 when she read a New York Times story about two women in the Army Reserves filing a lawsuit against the Department of Defense seeking to reverse the ban on women in combat.
That’s how she met one of the women, retired Army Col. Ellen Haring, which led them on a path to create and co-produce “The Fight to Fight,” an upcoming feature documentary. The film, focusing on the courageous women who fought to remove barriers to service from the 1970s through those who became the first to integrate U.S. Army ground combat units in 2016.
“These women are pioneers,” says Bronson, who is also the director. “It’s this very long, slow process and nobody knows this story. It was such a slow evolution. It is a story that deserves to be told.”
Haring entered West Point in 1980, shortly after it opened to women, and during her Army career advanced to an O6. During her time at West Point, women were not well received and when she graduated her options were limited to non-combat, support occupations.
As her 30-year Army career progressed, Haring witnessed more options for women. However, women
were still restricted from ground combat units despite many examples of women heroically performing in combat situations.
“I was really frustrated because through all these years, very little had changed,” she said. “We were still relegated to support roles, at least in the Army.”
Bronson also pointed out that even today some military leaders are resisting equality, making it difficult for women in the service.
“These young women integrate, they are motivated and they are capable,” says Bronson, adding that she interviewed military women for the film and recalled one who used a motto, “Crush them with competence.”
Bronson leads an all-women team in creating the documentary, referring to it as “an act of service by women who served.”
The documentary is scheduled for release in 2026. Learn more at their website.
Also in this episode co-hosts Adam Marr and Joe Worley talk about:
• This week’s Army-Navy Game, sponsored by USAA, which both hosts will be attending and recording podcast interviews during Friday’s Media Row.
• A look ahead to the annual Wreaths Across America Day
• Why an Army dining hall might never look the same again.
You can also check out the more than 300 Tango Alpha Lima podcasts available in both audio and video formats here. You can also download episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify other major podcast-hosting sites. The video version is available at the Legion’s YouTube channel.
- Tango Alpha Lima