Armed Marines inspected the women’s badges and bags. Many of the Marines had seen traumatic duty at places like Guadalcanal and were given the guard job as a recuperative assignment. When she went in and out, Anne Barus made a point of looking the men in the eye as they saluted her. She had a brother in the Pacific and she knew the Marines had been through hell. The enlisted women were given a naval rating, Specialist Q, which was inscribed on a patch. The Q did not stand for anything, but it did arouse a lot of curiosity.
