Although i don't know her well & actually havent worked w her, i had a strong reaction to idea of flournoy as secdef. Let me explain why w 3 stories on my own public service

Act 1: Afghanistan 2010 deployed researcher whose military teammate only referred to me by the C word...

it was deeply traumatic. i was a researcher & wanted to serve but i was new to military culture. while i was fortunate to have teammates who told me this wasn't ok & valued my expertise (thanks @DouglasOllivant, @charlie_simpson) i left feeling maybe it wasn't a place for me...

Act 2: (a few years later) The late, great Mike Sheehan, who i met in Afghanistan, asked me to join his team in SOLIC. i wasn't so sure and said i wasn't sure my kind of expertise was that useful w military folks. he told me about Undersec for Policy Flournoy...

she was a researcher like me. a defense expert & driving force in the Pentagon. I joined & met many more women ( @kath_hicks @ahfdc @LorenRaeDeJ twitterless mara karlin-the list goes on) Flournoy had left by the time i got there but (cliche as it sounds) her legacy was inspiring

i felt like i could (& did) contribute using my civilian research/analytical skills in a way that was a deeply valued part of a critical civilian oversight function. Recreating that feeling was actually an impetus for #BombshellWotR. but, i honestly didn't realize why until...

Act 3: 2020 when kamala harris was elected VP. You see, while i have long intellectually supported the idea that representation mattered, i hadn't felt it in my heart until i saw someone who looked a lot like me was the VP-elect and it made me think....

the thing about glass ceiling is sometimes it's so long & wide, polished so clear you don't realize it's there until someone breaks through

For me, a civilian woman whose love language in public service is analysis process--secdef flournoy feels critical #BuildBackBetter