ITV Tonight: Women on the Front Line
Women on the front line will be the focus of this weeks Tonight programme on ITV
The magazine style news programme will follow four women from the Royal Air Force as they prepare for and deploy to Afghanistan.
“Our filming trip to Camp Bastion was fascinating and revealing.” Presenter Julie Etchingham explained.
“The aim was to shed light on the roles performed by women in the war in Afghanistan, and to find out whether they thought it was time women were given full access to all the roles in the military, including frontline hand to hand combat.”
The subjects of the programme include a Squadron Leader Jane Thompson a nurse from the 612 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force, a ward manager at Camp Bastion, Corporal Charlene Woodward, an RAF police woman, and Corporal Natalie Williams from the RAF Fire and Rescue Service.
Julie said “The women were awe-inspiring.”
Lesley Woods is from the RAF 7644 Media Operations Squadron, she accompanied ITV during the filming. She says that whilst women still can’t serve in the infantry the role that women play in Afghanistan is vital.
“Some of the RAF police women are involved in the female engagement team and their task is to meet with the Afghan women and children and help them in terms of rebuilding their villages. Being a woman in uniform means that you are more acceptable to the local populous.”
Julie also spoke to Sergeant Stephanie Cole from 28 (Army Co-operation) Squadron.
“It’s great when we get some media coverage to recognise our efforts.
It’s a fantastic opportunity for our family and friends to see exactly what we do out in Afghanistan”.
Tonight Women on the Front Line: Thursday 17th June 7.30 ITV 1