Kate has that covered.
But that's not what we heard at Officer Candidates School. Our instructors made a point of saying that women didn't carry as much weight, and that their obstacle course was shorter than ours. They pointed out that women had twenty-one minutes to max the three-mile run, whereas we had to do it in seventeen minutes. In short, our training staff was telling us that our female counterparts had it easier than we did. The message to us? The women don't have to do as much to earn their second-lieutenant bars. What impact do you think that had on the men of my platoon?
I remember Lieutenant General Carol Mutter, the Marine Corps’ first female three-star general, was scheduled to preside over our commissioning ceremony to become second lieutenants in August 1995, immediately after we graduated OCS. I remember, especially with the prior-service guys, that this was a serious issue for discussion. They were pissed. Some candidates approached our staff and said they didn't want to be commissioned by “some fake-ass female general.”
The father of one of the candidates was an admiral, and the platoon knew it. So the complainers asked our training staff if this admiral could commission them instead of General Mutter. Finally, the platoon sergeant said, “Everyone needs to shut the fuck up. She's the general in charge and everyone's going to get in line and get their bars and get commissioned by General Mutter.”
Mutter had served in the Marine Corps longer than most of us had been alive.
By the time Kate hit recruiting duty in 2007 following our tour on Okinawa, she already worried about the lower expectations and standards for women. But I don't think either of us quite “got it” yet.
Over the following three years we spent in San Diego, Kate had several complaints filed against her. I remember asking her about one of them.
“What did you tell this Marine?” I asked.
“Well, I told him I was disappointed in him. He was completely happy to take his special-duty pay as a recruiter, but he wasn't writing any new-recruit contracts and hadn't in months,” she said. “I told him, ‘If you don't start doing your fucking job, I'm going to fire you.’”
“What would have happened if I had said that?” I asked her.
“Well, they would have said, ‘Plenzler's a tough guy. Don't get on his bad side,’” she said. “But there wouldn't have been a complaint.”
And that's a cold fact.
I think that's when I really started realizing how screwed up a lot of the guys were when it came to female leadership. Her results speak for themselves. The recruiting station had been failing before she got there. Her first year, they were most improved in the district. By the third year under her supervision, they were best in terms of quality west of Mississippi, and station of the year in the Twelfth Marine Corps District. The Corps began teaching things Kate innovated and implemented at the Recruiters’ School in San Diego.
True to form, Kate was tough, and she was demanding. What was the difference between San Diego and Parris Island? In San Diego, her commanding officer on recruiting duty backed her up. That was the big difference, and it meant everything.
Oh, I didn't mention that I served with Kate's boss's boss, Brigadier General Terry Williams, at the Pentagon when I was on the commandant's staff and he was in charge of the Division of Public Affairs. Having been a career logistician, he was new to public relations, and I'd often find myself countering his advice to the commandant at staff meetings. He didn't like that, but we were on good terms when he left the Pentagon.
While at Parris Island, Kate told me that he was checking in on her periodically and was praising the work she was doing. I know command can be a lonely place, so I sent him emails thanking him for having Kate's back, and he'd say she was doing a great job. I think he knew Haas was weak. I still have those notes. Here's a few:
From me to him on April 17, 2015:
General,
Great to see you today.
Sorry we didn't have more time to chat, but I knew you were busy with the ceremony and guests.
Life is good on terminal leave. I landed a job as vice president of marketing for a local not-for-profit. I'm pretty excited about it and don't start till June.
If you ever need anything, my personal line is (xxx) xxx-xxxx.
Take good care, Sir.
Joe
And back from him the same day:
Great to see you as well!!! Your better half is doing great down here—I know, there's a little tension with the RTR CO—but in my book she is knocking it out of the ballpark. Best to you and if you need [something] that I can help you with, I'll try my best to get it done. My personal email is xx. My numbers change but for now: xxx-xxx-xxxx. You are a great American and Marine and it was an honor serving with you. Semper Fi!!!
V/R
Terry
I sent him another note to his personal email on May 1, as things started getting worse:
Sir, Kate has told me about the challenges she is facing and I just wanted to tell you that I appreciate you mentoring and supporting her as she works to improve the performance and culture of 4th Battalion. You and I both know that command can be a lonely place, and it means a lot to have the support of your senior leadership. Many thanks to you and Sergeant Major, all best, Joe
The same day, he wrote back with a quick note indicating that it was his pleasure to do so.
Later that same month, I was at Pimlico Race Course, betting on ponies in the
