Mary Jennings Hegar

Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: N/A
Recommended: Highly Recommended
Level: High School

I’m going to be brutally honest: I was not excited to read this book. It happened to be at the bottom of the pile for ROYAL, and I volunteered to read it because it needed to be done. I’m not usually one for non-fiction (I prefer escapist fantasy or cute realistic fiction), and I am the furthest thing you will ever find from a military enthusiast. I’m an incredibly squishy girly-girl who is afraid of bugs, so I really went into this thinking I was going to be bored to tears. I have never been more glad to be wrong in my life.

Fly Like A Girl is the YA edition of Mary Jennings Hegar’s memoir Shoot Like A Girl. The memoir briefly discusses her childhood before launching into her impressive military career, following her through many ups and downs and the difficulties faced by women serving in the armed forces. At the end, Hegar briefly discusses her fight for gender equality with the ACLU, where they were successfully able to end the Ground Combat Exclusion Policy and open up an entirely new world for women in the armed forces. Hegar’s story is one of both profound joy and loss, and her inspiring career will leave young female readers empowered to “get out there and kick some serious butt.”

As I said above, I went into this book thinking I wasn’t going to enjoy it. I’ve never been particularly interested in the military, and thought this was going to be one of those “war memoirs” aimed at those obsessed with fighting and the military. From the very beginning, however, I found myself utterly fascinated by MJ’s life story, and I began to really like her as a person. Even though I obviously don’t know her, I found myself in complete awe of her unbreakable spirit and complete lust for life. Through every hardship she faced in life, MJ never let anything stand in the way of her dreams, and I had to admire her strength and courage throughout the many challenges she faced. I may not personally be invested in the military, but I think it would be impossible for anyone to read this and not root for Hegar entirely.

Though I’m not sure what the differences are between this version of the memoir and the “adult” version, I can’t imagine anything in Hegar’s life being more tragic or explicit than some of the things she faces in this book. From recalling her abusive biological father to recounting her sexual assault at the hands of a military doctor, Hegar certainly does not pull her punches when it comes to talking about tough topics. While there are some things in this book that fellow survivors of sexual assault or abuse might be triggered by, Hegar’s resilience in the face of the unthinkable is incredible to witness.

I learned while reading this book that MJ is currently running for US Senator in Texas, and it made me wish that I lived in Texas just so I could give her my vote. Hegar seems like the kind of person who is truly passionate about helping others, as can be easily seen as she recounts her experiences in the military. Hegar boldly stated herself that she would’ve gladly taken a bullet for any of her fellow soldiers, even the ones who questioned her ability and place amongst them as a woman. That kind of selfless determination to prove others wrong is incredibly admirable, and I think Hegar is an outstanding role model for young girls and women (including me). I may not have a desire to be in the military, but I cannot deny how inspiring I find Hegar’s confidence and bravery.

In a world in which feminism is rapidly gaining traction in our patriarchal society, this book strikes me as being especially important because it reminds us how crucial it is to keep fighting. As Hegar mentions in the book, there are things that she and her fellow soldiers simply didn’t think about while fighting side by side, as they simply weren’t an issue. Back in the “real world, however, Hegar quickly realized that there were entire professions women were barred from on the basis of biological sex alone, despite the fact that (in her experience) women had already been fighting on the front lines brilliantly for decades.

Similarly, there were many times when Hegar’s expertise and experience were called into question because of her sex, and even comrades she respected and cared for refused to speak up on her behalf. Hegar’s willingness to join the fight for equality on the home front after leaving the military simply shows her extreme willpower and desire for change, as she is now trying to help open doors behind her to pave the way for future young women. In short, MJ Hegar is an awesome human being, and I really hope I get the chance to meet her someday. I am now adding her to the very short list of politicians I admire, and I hope she wins her Senate race and helps to bring about even more positive change in the future.

I would recommend this book to any young girl or woman looking to be inspired, whether you’re looking to join the military or you (like me) have no interest in combat. Hegar’s story is truly inspiring, and a reminder that women can do absolutely anything they put their minds to with enough willpower and dedication. Throughout all of her difficulties in life, Hegar’s strength never wavered, and I hope every young teen who reads this is as inspired as I was to get out there and make real change. I’m definitely going to think twice the next time I encounter a book I wouldn’t normally read, as I was certainly pleasantly surprised by Hegar’s incredible story. If your spirits are down and you’re in serious need of some inspiration, give this one a shot.… (meer)

SHOOT LIKE A GIRL
One Woman’s Dramatic Fight in Afghanistan and on the Homefront
Mary Jennings Hegar

MY RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
PUBLISHER Penguin Berkley/Recorded Books
PUBLISHED March 7, 2017

A dramatic true story of one woman’s brave and selfless fight to serve her country and to improve opportunities for those women following in her footsteps.

SUMMARY
In 2009, Air National Guard Major Mary Jennings “MJ” Hegar was shot down by the Taliban while on a medevac mission on her third tour in Afghanistan. Despite being wounded in the arm and leg, she fought off the enemy and save the lives of her crew and their three patients.

Hegar had dreamed of being a pilot for most of her life, and was lucky enough to have an encouraging stepfather. After she was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force, Hegar was selected for pilot training by the Air National Guard, where she finished at the top of her class. She served three tours in Afghanistan flying hundreds of combat search and rescue missions culminating in the harrowing rescue that would earn Hegar the Purple Heart as well as the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor. But on the home-front, Hegar would fight a great challenge as well. She sought to eliminate the Department of Defense Ground Combat Exclusion Policy, which kept women from serving in combat roles, despite their long standing record of doing so with honor. A lawsuit was filed by the ACLU with Hegar as a plaintiff arguing the unconstitutionality of the exclusion. That ban was lifted by then Secretary of Defense Leon Panneta and the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2012.

REVIEW
Hold on tight for this gripping and enlightening biography. MJ Hegar followed her heart, and has done an astounding job at telling her story of her experiences. Her integrity and perseverance was front and center in her service to our country despite the many hurdles (discrimination) she had to overcome. She shares about her fight with the Taliban, the military and even the Pentagon. Her writing is engaging, and her rescue stories are breathtaking. Most importantly, is that the culmination of all of her experiences has lead her to a new mission where she has opened up opportunities for other women who choose to serve on the military. A true bluestocking woman! Thank you MJ Hegar for your service to this country and especially for making a difference for future generations of women.

“This is what I was made for. I felt it in my gut. In the last hour, I’d been shot by the Taliban, had my aircraft riddled with bullets, and landed hard in enemy territory. ‘I can do this. I am not scared.’ At that moment I wouldn’t have switched spots with anyone in the world, because I knew I was the best person for the job.”
-Mary Jennings Hegar
Shoot Like A Girl… (meer)

MEMOIR/MILITARY
Mary Jennings Hegar
Shoot Like a Girl: One Woman’s Dramatic Fight in Afghanistan and on the Home Front
Berkley Publishing Group
Hardcover, 978-1-1019-8843-5, (also available as an e-book and on Audible), 304 pgs., $26.00
March 7, 2017

“Little lady, why can’t you just leave the fightin’ to the men who are so good at it? I mean, what could you possibly have to contribute?”

An adrenaline junkie with attitude, Mary Jennings Hegar knew she wanted to be a fighter pilot since she watched the exploits of Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon. Supported and encouraged by her family, she joined Air Force ROTC at the University of Texas at Austin. Hegar became a helicopter pilot, fighting wildfires in California, eradicating marijuana in national forests, providing hurricane support in Texas, and executing long-range overwater rescues over the Pacific Ocean. Ultimately, Hegar deployed to airfields and forward operating bases in Afghanistan three times as a Medevac pilot.

Shoot Like a Girl: One Woman’s Dramatic Fight in Afghanistan and on the Home Front is the memoir of Major Mary Jennings “MJ” Hegar, recipient of the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor. Shoot Like a Girl is a straightforward, chronological narrative of Hegar’s ambition to fly for the United States, the triumphs and trials along the way, and her determination to succeed despite arbitrary obstacles thrown into her path solely because of her gender.

Hegar’s first experience of discrimination was in high school, when a trusted teacher refused to write a letter of recommendation for ROTC. The discrimination continued when her first commander refused to return her salute; when her chain of command took her husband’s job into consideration when making decisions about her professional future; when her squadron members practiced outright sabotage; and when she experienced sexual assault by an Air Force doctor during a physical that would determine whether Hegar would attend pilot school. She would eventually lobby Congress — and sue the Secretary of Defense in Hegar, et al. v. Panetta.

The front cover of Shoot Like a Girl carries the recommendation of Senator John McCain, and features an arresting photograph of Hegar in full battle gear, the edges of her body indistinct, merging into the Kandahar Mountains backdrop. Submitted as required to the Department of Defense (DoD) for vetting before publication, Shoot Like a Girl retains DoD redactions in the form of thick black rectangles obliterating sensitive details.

Filled with illustrative anecdotes and humor, Shoot Like a Girl sports an eye-catching first line. “I glanced out the window at the dark shadows of sharks just under the surface of the sea,” an experience which took place during refueling midair, as she was piloting a helicopter two dozen feet from a C-130 tanker at 120 miles per hour. Despite a usually engaging voice, Shoot Like a Girl is Intermittently dry, and although it loses momentum in the second third it recovers nicely. The action passages are nerve-racking (“As [machine-gun] rounds impacted the tail and slowly started moving forward as the enemy maneuvered the heavy gun, our eight-ton aircraft rocked like a little rowboat on the ocean”), the recounting of disrespect (even while soaked in jet fuel and covered in her own blood) breathtaking, the discussion of aviation-combat tactics fascinating.

“Outstanding, [Hegar]. You shoot like a girl,” an instructor remarked after she scored expert. Hegar is taken aback, not sure if this is a compliment or an insult. The instructor explains: “Women are physiologically predisposed to being excellent marksmen. It’s about their muscle tone, center of gravity, flexibility, heart rate, respiration.” That there are physical advantages to being a woman in combat was a revelation to her. Thus, the title. “In my experience, changing the minds of people whose opinions aren’t based on actual facts tends to be the hardest,” Hegar writes, “because their beliefs are rooted in their prejudices as opposed to reality.”

Originally published by Lone Star Literary Life.… (meer)