 This is Marine Cherry Point Tower. This is Nora 2-4, four miles southwest of Cherry Point. I have an emergency. Fire warning light. Request immediate landing. Over. Nora 2-4, this is Marine Cherry Point Tower. Clear to land runway five. Wind zero, six, zero degrees at eight knots. All aircraft, this is Marine Cherry Point Tower. Taxi clear runway and center map immediately. Crash crews stand by. She brings a combat pilot safely back to Earth or helps him learn the ropes in a new high performance jet. Today's woman Marine has a big job to do, an important job. In many cases her job is very similar to work she may want to continue with in civilian life. Work such as data processing, merchandising, secretarial. In contrast to these familiar jobs, the woman Marine may want to serve in a totally new environment, such as this radar center at Cherry Point. Whether the task is routine or unique, the woman Marine works side by side with the men of the Corps, knowing that her contribution is an important one and that her spirit and pride of performance are needed on the job. What does it take to put you in this picture? To make you a part of an organization as modern as tomorrow and as important as today's headlines. Take air traffic controller Betty Davison for example. Let's wind the clock back. Like many high school graduates, Betty had no specific plans, but she did have one advantage. She already had the incentive to learn and the willingness to accept responsibility. These assets would serve her well in whatever field she entered. However selecting the field, that was another story. Betty discovered many opportunities awaiting an intelligent high school graduate, but making the right choice was easier said than done. Many factors had to be considered and she didn't want to rush into anything before weighing all the facts. After taking a long hard look at many of the available jobs, Betty found that they didn't seem to well fit the bill. As Betty herself put it, she felt a desire to give her talents to a cause that was important. She wanted a job with meaning, a job that she could take satisfaction in doing well. It certainly won't hurt to ask a few questions and that's how it all began. Of course, Betty's decision to join the Marine Corps wasn't made as quickly as that. There were many things to consider and not the least of these was her parents' reaction. On this point, Betty's Marine representative helped out. She assured them that the decision to become a woman Marine is not an easy one for a young woman to make, nor should it be. Unlike young men, there is no military obligation on her part. She is a volunteer. Should she decide to join the Corps, she will become a member of an organization whose emblem has been the hallmark of honor for nearly 200 years. This is Paris Island. Betty's first stop on the way to becoming a woman Marine. Here she will acquire the basic training, the discipline, the sense of pride that have traditionally earned Marines respect wherever they have served. Betty discovered that one thing she didn't have to worry about in boot camp was looking after herself. There was always someone to tell her what to wear, how to wear it, when to eat, and when to wake up. Well, they tried to tell her when to wake up. One thing made her mad. She had always prided herself on the way she could make up a bet. But the United States Marine Corps had other ideas. Betty soon learned that in arguments like this, the Marine Corps usually won out. When Betty discovered that hairstyling could be just as feminine in boot camp as it was on the outside, she and the Corps resolved their differences. Physical fitness is not an exclusive province of the men. When the Marine Corps talks about a sound mind in a sound body, they are referring to men and women. At Parris Island, not all of the workouts are done on the drill field. Some remain indoor sports. Every woman who leaves Parris Island takes with her a solid foundation in efficient office administration. Routines mastered here serve them well wherever they go in the Corps, and later in civilian life as well. Sometimes it seemed that even perfection itself was not good enough. But if things got a little rough, it was only the Marines way of making sure that Betty and all of her platoon represented the very best that Parris Island could deliver to the Corps. Then one day it came to pass. They were Marines. In Parris Island, they were sent to Navy and Marine Corps bases from coast to coast. Norfolk, headquarters fleet Marine Force Atlantic. Here women Marines serve in administration, communications, and even in intelligence work. Cherry Point, home of Marine aviation on the east coast. Quantico, Marine Corps schools, center of officer training. The west coast features some of the most colorful Marine Corps stations. Take Camp Pendleton. While the new Marine will find plenty of work during her first tour of duty, she'll have time for relaxation too. These Marines have discovered a whole new world of adventure on their off-duty hours, and without leaving the post. Some were sent to the nation's capital where they served in many varied areas, often finding themselves on the office staff of the top military commands. Parris Island graduates who qualified for advanced training were sent to formal schools. Betty was selected for the demanding job of an air traffic controller. Wherever they went, whatever their job, they found themselves sharing in the rich traditions established by the Corps through almost two centuries of exemplary service. They found themselves growing, not just as part of the group, but as individuals too. The Marine Corps sets a high value upon initiative and progress. Betty, like many of her contemporaries, found that she could go as far as her incentive would take her. Her salary, in addition to living expenses and uniforms, enables the woman Marine to treat herself to a good old-fashioned spending spree, and even have some left over for a rainy day. While extra money and a smart wardrobe are good for a woman's sense of well-being, the woman Marine finds herself making a far more important investment. Through her daily work and acceptance of responsibility, she invests in her own character. Being responsible for getting pilots' weather information accurately and on time is just one way she proves her worth, not just to the Marine Corps, but to herself as well. Each homecoming is special, for Betty's progress in the Marine Corps is reflected in her ever-increasing self-confidence and poise. Betty never realized how much she had grown until some old high school friends dropped over. In them she saw herself a few years ago, and it didn't seem possible. Travel all over the United States and many parts of the world. Not only are women Marines stationed overseas, but they may take advantage of space-available air transportation, or hops, during their 30 days paid vacation. Some of the most rewarding benefits in the life of a woman Marine are the close friendships which always evolve when men and women work together for a common purpose. How many miles she may travel, or how many different lands she may visit. No matter how many stations she may serve, she will never find herself among strangers.