Your Call is Important to Us. Really.
We take our phones for granted these days, and it should be obvious to all how vital instant telecommunication is to military operations. But that has not always been the case. For centuries, commanders relied on couriers, but when it came to the early 20th century, we had the telephone, which was a real game changer.
Except when it wasn’t.
In the early part of the 20th century, it was one thing to have a phone, but it’s quite another thing to have a switchboard operator who could connect your phone to another one. That’s the dilemma the U.S. Army faced during World War 1. Communication needed to happen quickly among the troops and command posts, but without a switchboard operator, two perfectly good telephones couldn’t talk to each other. Few men were trained in this field, and besides, they needed the men wearing helmets instead of headsets so …
Enter the Hello Girls. The term Hello Girls came from the “hello” callers heard from the switchboard when they wanted to place a call. Of course, both society and the military were not excited about placing women in Europe where the war was, but they needed women who knew their way around a switchboard. But what woman would want to serve in a war zone? For the 200+ positions needed, over 7,000 women applied! They served well, and they made a difference. It’s an understatement that these women played a key role in expediting troop movement and relaying vital information.
But were they part of the military? Hmm. Although women did not officially enter the armed forces until 1948, these Hello Girls were required to wear Army uniforms. They were trained in U.S. Army camps. They were required to follow Army regulations. They stayed in barracks built specifically for them by the military. And even when the war was over, they were not allowed to go home until the army discharged them.
But here’s the kicker. Despite all the military requirements placed on them, they were denied honorable discharge papers. In all aspects of their service, they were treated as part of the army … that is, until the army didn’t need them anymore—and then they were merely civilians employed by the army.
For fifty years, the Hello Girls and their supporters fought for recognition. Multiple bills were introduced in Congress, but it wasn’t until 1977 that Congress enacted a law giving them honorable discharges, WWI Victory medals, and veteran benefits. Unfortunately, only eighteen of the Hello Girls were still alive to receive these honors and benefits.
In 1918, a simple communication from a Hello Girl could make a significant difference. Even though that communication was not applauded by others for years, it still made a difference. And a simple communication from you can make all the difference in a person’s life. It may seem to be a small matter to you, but to that other person … well, we just don’t know the impact we can have.
Last week, my wife and three other women cut some flowers from a special garden at church, arranged them, and took them to the residents of an assisted living place. My wife told me later that two of the women cried. They were so moved that someone thought of them.
Call me old school, but I’d still rather get a phone call from you than a text. Texts are fine, but there’s something far more personal about hearing your voice and having a conversation—even for 15-20 seconds. For that reason, I encourage you to pick up the phone and call someone. You never know what the sound of your voice may mean to someone.
“A word spoken at the right time is like gold apples in silver settings” (Prov. 25:11).
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Banner photo by Anastasiya Badun on Unsplash.
NOTE: MY LAST BLOG WILL BE AUGUST 28.
