On this week’s 51%, a woman hopes to help others caring for their aging parents, a female activist works to keep youth from fleeing an African country, and an anthropologist tells us about a macho sport involving birds.
Marcy CottrellHoule, a wildlife biologist and award-winning author, has co-authored a book she initially had not planned on writing. It's called The Gift of Caring: Saving Our Parents from the Perils of Modern Healthcareand Houle co-authored it with Dr. Elizabeth Eckstrom, Director of Geriatric Medicine at Oregon Health & Sciences University. Houle talks about why she ended up writing the book, which is a blend of memoir and medical advice to help families navigate what she calls the confusing and fragmented healthcare delivery system for aging people.
We switch gears and turn to a story about youth. FantaDiallo believes that you do not need to travel thousands of miles to Europe to become successful. She is an activist who believes Africa is a land opportunities and encourages young people to stay home in Senegal. We get the story from DW Reporter Stefan Möhl.
And now some female insight into a male sport, but one you might not know about. The federal government recently closed an eight-year investigation into smuggling operations related to this unusual sport. A Virginia scholar studies “Birdsport”, which came to the U.S. from Guyana, South America. LiliaFuquen reports.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two women have passed the Army's grueling Ranger test, becoming the first females to complete the combat training program and earn the right to wear Ranger tabs on their uniforms. The Army's Ranger headquarters in Fort Benning, Georgia, says the women and 94 men passed the 62-day course that tests their ability to overcome fatigue, hunger and stress during combat operations.
Now even tougher and more dangerous jobs could lie ahead. Senior officials tell The Associated Press the military is poised to allow women to serve in most front-line combat jobs, including Navy SEALs and the Army's Delta Force.
Officials say the Army, Navy and Air Force likely will not seek exceptions that close any jobs to women. Marine Corps leaders, they say, have expressed concerns about women in infantry jobs and yet may seek an exception. But that would likely meet resistance from senior officials. Even Special Operations Command is likely to allow women to compete for military commando jobs. The services must make their recommendations to Defense Secretary Ash Carter this fall.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
And that's our show this week. Thanks to Katie Britton for production assistance. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock. Our theme music is Glow in the Dark by Kevin Bartlett. This show is a national production of Northeast Public Radio.
