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Albany, NY – It's a record-breaking year at West Point Academy in New York. The elite officer-training institution has accepted a record number of women in this year's first year class - about 16 percent of the new students are women. West Point is known for being a somewhat macho environment, and we decided to see what some women alumni of the school thought of their time there. So I went to the networking Web site WestPointWomen-dot-org to find some academy alumni. I first spoke with Mindy Kimball. Kimball graduated from West Point in 1996. She has stayed beyond her 5-year military service commitment, now teaching environmental science and biology at the academy. While in school, she met her husband, who is also an active-duty soldier.
Amanda Coussoule loved her experience at West Point. But, she says, being a woman at the academy can be a tough challenge. After graduation in 1997, Coussoule spent five years in the Army. During those five years, she married another West Point graduate. In 2002, she went into the private sector, taking a job as a sales manager in Proctor and Gamble in Maryland. When we spoke, the unique social situation of West Point still seemed fresh to Coussoule.
Not all women have a positive experience in the military. Marisela Guzman served as an information technician in the U.S. Navy from 1998 to 2003. In addition to serving her country, she also suffered sexual abuse while in the Navy. Independent producer Sarah Olson spoke to Guzman about her experiences. Here is her story.