FORT CARSON, Colo. — Capt. Erin Muri, an armor officer with 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, deployed for Operation Eager Lion in April 2019. Muri said she used her gender to her advantage during her deployment. “When working with a partner force, we were authorized to help treat local national family members if they were sick,” Muri said. “In the culture in Syria, men could not touch women or search them, so I always had to be present at the gate or wherever searches were happening.” (Courtesy photo provided by Capt. Erin Muri)
By Spc. Collin MacKown
4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Since the Army’s inception, women have held vital roles during critical historical events. During the Revolutionary War, women served as medical personnel, seamstresses and cooks to help aid Soldiers in times of need. In 1942, the Army established the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, which changed to the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) in 1943. More than 150,000 women served as WACs during WWII.
Starting in 2015, female Soldiers integrated into combat arms, and, today, females from all lifestyles fill the ranks of the United States Army. In 2017, the 4th Infantry Division Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) Victim Advocate, Capt. Erin Muri, became the first female combat arms officer for the 4th Infantry Division.
“From the earliest cadet years, Capt. Muri demonstrated the ability to understand the strategic situation while achieving results at the tactical level. Through coaching, motivating and leading the front, I believe Capt. Muri would have been a successful leader regardless of the job,” said Capt. Michael Pendleton, assistant professor of Military Science, Ohio University Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) from 2015-2017.
Pendleton believes that there is no difference between male and female leaders.
“In my experience, the only Soldiers and leaders who objected to women in combat fields were themselves professionally insecure. Those who demonstrated subject matter expertise and were confident in their own abilities rarely objected to anyone, regardless of gender, contributing to mission success,” said Pendleton.
Muri chose armor as her officer branch, meaning she is responsible for tank and cavalry/forward reconnaissance operations on the battlefield. Muri said she was looking for a challenge and to being an example for future women who want to be in combat arms or officers in combat arms.
“My ROTC class was the first wave to integrate females into combat arms,” said Muri. “After graduating and when I first came into my unit, it was a tough adjustment.”
When asked if she is treated differently as a female officer in combat arms, Muri sighed and said she doesn’t seem to know where to start.
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Capt. Erin Muri, an Armor Officer with the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, redeploying for Operation Eager Lion in November 2019. Muri became the first female combat arms officer for the 4th Infantry Division in 2017. (Courtesy photo provided by Capt. Erin Muri)
Muri said the culture was a difficult adjustment for her due to members of her team not trusting her ability to lead in a predominately male career path. She described the experience as varied when referring to Soldiers reactions to a female combat arms officer.
“Some of the experiences were very negative, and others were very positive,” Muri said.
Muri said her team considered not allowing her to go on a deployment to Syria, and after much discussion, they allowed her to go.
“It was surreal. I was the only woman on the compound,” said Muri.
She explained how she felt her duty on the mission went from being questionable in her leadership’s eyes to being mission essential as the deployment carried on further. “When working with a partner force, we were authorized to help treat local national family members if they were sick,” said Muri. “In the culture in Syria, men could not touch women or search them, so I always had to be present at the gate or wherever searches were happening.”
While on deployment, Muri worked on her college degree, focusing on counseling. After her deployment, Muri bumped into the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) program manager in a hallway at Fort Carson and was asked to be the SHARP Victim Advocate for the 4th Infantry Division.
For Muri, this was the perfect choice since she already had a strong passion for mental health awareness. She said now one of her main goals is to boost the awareness of SHARP and inform Soldiers of their options when in need.
Every year, SHARP makes gradual steps to make the Army a safe work environment, proven by the increased SHARP-focused information on the army.mil website. Even Muri has noticed a positive change in the Army for SHARP awareness and the inclusion of female combat arms personnel.
“The most common misconception about SHARP is that it’s there to benefit only women,” said Muri. “Males can be a victim of sexual harassment and sexual assault too.”
In the last seven years of integrating females into combat arms, Muri has made 4th Inf. Div. and Army history. Her leadership in combat and her efforts as the SHARP victim advocate have helped change and shift stigma in multiple ways, the development of future
Army female leaders and the positive forward movement of the SHARP program. A shift in tradition can mean challenging the values of a long-standing organization.
“The inclusion of women into combat arms forces a formerly homogenous population to confront long-held assumptions, such as ‘doing 100 push-ups will help me win the next war’,” said Pendleton.
There hasn’t been a single thing Muri feels she can’t do as a leader because of her gender.
“Everything that has happened and transpired for me is because I became an armor officer. It has changed me for the better, even if it hasn’t been the easiest road,” said Muri.