Ashley's War Quotes

“I brought my daughter today because I wanted her to know what a hero was," the woman said, holding the hand of a little girl. "And I wanted her to know girls could be heroes, too.”
― Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield

“Don't tell people what you're going to do, or what kind of person you are. Just show them.”
― Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield

“This is an opportunity for failure as much as it is one to succeed. Do not block out the voices of opposition, study them and defeat their words and prejudices through brilliant action.”
― Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield

“This was a mental game as much as a physical challenge, designed to reinforce the fact that staying focused and motivated is absolutely critical to mission success and basic survival in war.”
― Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield

“Be amazing, because you are.”
― Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield

“Do not block out the voices of opposition, study them and defeat their words and prejudices through brilliant action.”
― Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield

“When Ashley White-Stumpf became an angel she was at the apex of her life. She was a newlywed with an incredibly loving and supporting husband. She had just purchased her first home. She had a good job and an amazing family. And yet Ashley asked, “what can I do, how can I make a difference?” Think about that for a minute. How much better would this world be if every person, at the happiest, most fulfilled point in their life, thought not of themselves, but of the good they could do for things bigger than themselves? It is a question for each of us.”
― Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield

“The United States military officially began using canines in World War I and by World War II more than four hundred scout dogs were taking part in combat patrols, finding and hunting the enemy. After Pearl Harbor, a group of dog breeders formed “Dogs for Defense,” with the goal of building a well-trained canine force in the event America went to war. Come Korea, roughly 1,500 canines performed guard duty with the Army while others joined patrols. During Vietnam, with its close-quarters combat in treacherous terrain and tropical climes, dogs were once again called into action: around four thousand joined patrols to hunt for weapons and enemies, and served duty on army bases, especially at night when soldiers were most vulnerable to attack. But many of the dogs that served alongside U.S. soldiers never made it home; some were euthanized and others abandoned in”
― Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield

“For the CSTs, who were busy getting used to their unusual new assignment, the ideal “terp” was a female who understood Pashtun culture; spoke American English as well as they did; grasped how special operations functioned; could relate to and connect with Afghan women and children in a hot moment; embraced the women’s mission; was athletic enough to keep up with the Ranger men while wearing body armor; and could speak most dialects of Pashto. Ashley”
― Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield

“Amber wanted to see special operations open to women and she believed they all should have a shot at going to Ranger School but only if there were no shortcuts, no dumbing down of any of the requirements, the same standards for everyone. And everyone would have the chance to meet them. T”
― Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield

“This is why they don’t want women here. These guys spend years getting trained to become Green Berets, they test themselves physically, mentally, and every place in between, and someone thinks that a couple weeks of training is any kind of equivalent—that we deserve anything close to the accolades that these guys get? We are no better than fresh-off-the-boat privates right now. No way in hell we are even close to what they do.” And”
― Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield

“The mission has not yet run its course. Don't limit your actions in pursuit of success. Take a measured course and a wide berth within your lines of operation. Show us all what you are capable of.”
― Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield