One Woman's Dramatic Fight in Afghanistan and on the Home Front

Having memories of growing up in Leander and knowing Major Jennings Hegar as a kid, I was excited to go on her journey of memoir to remember and learn about this woman who once was a girl we ALL knew to be the best in our class. Her author's note promised to show us how women in combat don't have to "shrink in fear when the bullets fly" and set the bar high for her book, but in the end the washout came for me in her inability to keep the flow of her important story at the forefront. I felt like I was reading a checklist of life experiences with cherry picked moments expanded on in such a way I could have been reading a high school or college research paper, instead of an honest woman's autobiography. It's as if someone approached her and said, "Hey. You've been through alot. You should write a book and we have to angle it to fit into the women's movement."
And maybe that was the point. Maybe this book was an opportunity to give the "proof" that one woman's over achievements could change public policy and hopefully public perception. Policy changed, perception is still in the works.
People who come out of a horrific abusive upbringing either turn to vices (as I did), they spend every minute doing everything they can to escape pain though work and determination (as my military brother did in the so similar fashion of MJ, both Mother Rucker graduates), or they fall into the destitute cracks of society. I get it. Her life choices make sense. I get WHY she tried so hard with, for lack of a better term, a ginormous chip on her shoulder. Do the work. Be the best. Silence the hacks. Make your existence count. She is nothing short of a heroine, doing things the rest of us can't and won't, but the writing style of this book seems to lose the explosive punch it deserves.
Her tone reads quick and matter-of-fact, even through deeply personal stories. It's like she dares us: "This is me. This is my story. Take it or leave it." Maybe this is a protective armor for the sanctity of her memories, but if she wanted us to better sympathize with her fight against discrimination, as a reader, I needed more. Her hard-boiled storytelling had me questioning her motives. Was she trying to get me to empathize? To get angry? To admire? I often felt like she was checking off the boxes of her author's outline. It was like walking staircases in a haphazard town where some are long and leading somewhere (like the ancetdotes about Mr. Dewey's blatant disrespect, the repulsive encounter with Dr. Adams, or the sad story of her first combat casualty), but then some are short and lead to confusing dead ends (like the truth of her first marriage and its demise, training stories, interpersonal encounters and others.) For example, when describing her team during her first deployment and her encounters with colleague Richard, she clearly depicts Richard's projected insecurity that made her life hell, but she expects the reader to fall into ranks beside her because the rest of her team didn't rescue her from the bully. Without debating my opinions on this not necessarily being their job to "stick up for her", she dismisses these people and their "(insert explicative) attitudes" by the end of her time with them, and expects the reader to do the same. Unlike the recounting of the Mr. Dewey or Dr. Adams story, we don't have any real reason to also stick up for her, except that she's crying about the school bully Richard and we just have to take her word for it that everyone else sucked. Maybe that wasn't her intention, but a lack of cohesive story telling, not necessarily gossip spilling, doesn't give the reader enough pause to "prove" the military is completely sexist against her. Instead, we can't see around that shoulder chip and her pridefulness with detail doesn't allow her message to come out as powerful and clear as it should. By page 147, I was ready for the wrap up.
Also knowing how smart MJ is, some of her surprised recounting had me wondering about her naivete. For example, in regards to the derogatory rumors Richard spread about her she says, "I couldn't believe it." Really?? The guy had it out for you and all the world loves a train wreck. No matter the integrity of a work environment, rumor mills always give people a reason to partake in salacious babble and Richard's trickery worked by getting so under her skin. MJ spent all her training and all her military years proving that she wasn't like anyone else, so her reputation in this situation should have been enough to speak for her. Her actions would dissipate the myths if she had an attitude of "whatever, forget that guy". Instead she acted blindsided, which I find quite surprising. I am not blind to the fact that the military can be a place of pissing contests and chauvinism, but her unpreparedness for the unexpected ambushes I find interesting. It's one of those techniques written into this book that made me feel the storytelling was calculated. Was she REALLY surprised with all her experience? Or did the editor ask for more vulnerability with these remembrances so those of us reading it would be on her side?
There are technical annoyances in this narrative as well, like the good guys in her life are mentioned by first and last name while the people who did her wrong only have a first name, or her need to give the reader pronunciations of every abbreviation. There are cliches abundant and an overall first draft feel in her inaugural novel, but all in all, it's not a BAD first book, even if she doesn't thank her soul mate husband in the credits.
Major Jennings Hegar has an AMAZING story to tell, a fantastic life history to pull from, and really is someone whose life journey is above and beyond ANYTHING we could imagine. Her personal voice is a strong one, her experiences need telling, and her mission to change this country (especially now as she runs for political office) is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to help women in this country get the change they want and deserve. A few blurbs from our country's elite (like Senator John McCain) do give weight to the necessity of Major Jennings Hegar to tell the women of this country, especially the young girls like her Marine career dreaming step-daughter, that gender isn't an obstacle to ANYTHING. Climb the obstacle and burn it to the ground, I say! But maybe in the next book she could parlay her meritorious experiences through the pen of a ghost writer?

Great insight on what our women warriors go through and how they can truly handle everything thrown their way. MJ is a rock star. This This is an in depth look at a woman's experience in the military. If you have teenage daughters put this on their reading list.

This world has no place for discrimination against women, I say so as a man. This book shows the highs and the appalling lows of a woman's fight to gain validation. Never let someone tell you you can't do it! Very inspiring book! (Should be recommended reading for Donald Trump)

Wow, compelling book that confronts the truth about gender inequality, but this little lady holds her own and flies and fights with the best of them.
Read this book, it’s a fast read and provides thrilling details from a helicopter warrior and rescue pilot perspective. No need to even mention she’s a girl.

Good read - of course I'm a female helicopter pilot and friends with George Dona, so I'm not exactly impartial. I also feel all positions in the military should be available for women to compete for, as long as they meet the standard and are qualified, they should get the job.

Hager is a storyteller and what a story. Heroic combat pilot, then plaintiff in the lawsuit that demolished policy of excluding women from combat "assignments." They already have been serving in combat, but as augmented so, not members, i.e., as second class citizens. Mzj wasn't perfect, and she tells all.

This book is disgusting and very offensive to me as my husband was on this mission with her and has told me his version. She used this story to make money at the same time made herself seem more heroic than she was. She and her crew left a man, who was one of my husbands team members, on the ground even when told to go back for him. She didn’t rescue anyone. If anything she did more damage than good. “The biggest asset on her team was not Superman” but was not her either as she would like everyone to believe. She had Jumped on the other plane after crashing her own.. So sad that she feels that this one mission that went bad and is disillusioned by her, shaped her career enough that she now feels she is fit to run for the US House of Texas. Such a joke. It would be one thing if this book was fictional but apparently the publisher did NOT care to verify her story as non-fictional which is very unprofessional and has lost any creditability from me. My husband lives with the PTSD of this mission every day, it was one of his best friends left on the ground that he went to rescue after Ms.
Hegar and her crew landed at the base, he went Back to rescue his friend while being ambushed and held under fire for 15 hours before another crew came for them, and She has the nerve to lie about what happened for her own wealth and gain. Whatever happened to staying humble and telling the truth. In her own words “ She took an oath to defend and support the constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic” and here she lies in this book and takes all creditability for herself. How selfish is she to tell such a story when the true story is more intriguing than hers. All on that mission should have given gratitude as it takes a team to perform these missions not one person as she claims she did it all herself.

Shoot Like a Girl is the autobiography of Mary Jennings Hegar who successfully sued the Pentagon into revoking the rule about women in ground combat. Hegar was an air force reserve helicopter rescue pilot that had an interesting career throughout the military establishment battling the inherent sexism of the system. Her story is not one of whining but of overcoming and showing the pitfalls of the system that we currently have. Her story is amazing and this is so well written that you will fly thought it quickly. Her time growing up as a child including Air Force ROTC and her early assignments overseas are all covered here but most of the book focuses on her three tours in Afghanistan including 2 back to back tours. On her final tour her helicopter was shot down and she was injured during a rescue mission. The recollections presented are factual and well done. Overall this is a quick and great read for anyone wanting to learn more about the air force, military combat in Afghanistan or the role of women in the US military.

I'm a retired senior NCO and this subject interested me very much. I only served one tour in Iraq before I hit retirement, though, and that was enough. I met many fierce, courageous and hard-charging women like Major Hegar. She tells her story with great pride.

At first her story is like many other female veterans: She came from a family with an abusive father and a stepfather who died too soon. At a young age she was determined to be a pilot. A knee injury delayed that dream but she joined the US Air Force initially as an aircraft mechanic. Along her entire way she endured sexism. There were men along her entire career who wanted to hold her back because of her gender.

She finally became a pilot in the Air National Guard. Here is where the tense action begins as she served three tours in Afghanistan. Hegar's writing is good enough to keep you riveted to the book as she focused on her story with few side stories. The last third of the book is a thrilling read.

Hegar is a woman I would enjoy listening to.

Shoot Like a Girl is the autobiography of Mary Jennings Hegar who successfully sued the Pentagon into revoking the rule about women in ground combat. Hegar was an air force reserve helicopter rescue pilot that had an interesting career throughout the military establishment battling the inherent sexism of the system. Her story is not one of whining but of overcoming and showing the pitfalls of the system that we currently have. Her story is amazing and this is so well written that you will fly thought it quickly. Her time growing up as a child including Air Force ROTC and her early assignments overseas are all covered here but most of the book focuses on her three tours in Afghanistan including 2 back to back tours. On her final tour her helicopter was shot down and she was injured during a rescue mission. The recollections presented are factual and well done. Overall this is a quick and great read for anyone wanting to learn more about the air force, military combat in Afghanistan or the role of women in the US military.

I'm a retired senior NCO and this subject interested me very much. I only served one tour in Iraq before I hit retirement, though, and that was enough. I met many fierce, courageous and hard-charging women like Major Hegar. She tells her story with great pride.

At first her story is like many other female veterans: She came from a family with an abusive father and a stepfather who died too soon. At a young age she was determined to be a pilot. A knee injury delayed that dream but she joined the US Air Force initially as an aircraft mechanic. Along her entire way she endured sexism. There were men along her entire career who wanted to hold her back because of her gender.

She finally became a pilot in the Air National Guard. Here is where the tense action begins as she served three tours in Afghanistan. Hegar's writing is good enough to keep you riveted to the book as she focused on her story with few side stories. The last third of the book is a thrilling read.

Hegar is a woman I would enjoy listening to.

MEMOIR/MILITARY
Mary Jennings Hegar
Shoot Like a Girl: One Woman’s Dramatic Fight in Afghanistan and on the Home Front
Berkley Publishing Group
Hardcover, 978-1-1019-8843-5, (also available as an e-book and on Audible), 304 pgs., $26.00
March 7, 2017

“Little lady, why can’t you just leave the fightin’ to the men who are so good at it? I mean, what could you possibly have to contribute?”

An adrenaline junkie with attitude, Mary Jennings Hegar knew she wanted to be a fighter pilot since she watched the exploits of Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon. Supported and encouraged by her family, she joined Air Force ROTC at the University of Texas at Austin. Hegar became a helicopter pilot, fighting wildfires in California, eradicating marijuana in national forests, providing hurricane support in Texas, and executing long-range overwater rescues over the Pacific Ocean. Ultimately, Hegar deployed to airfields and forward operating bases in Afghanistan three times as a Medevac pilot.

Shoot Like a Girl: One Woman’s Dramatic Fight in Afghanistan and on the Home Front is the memoir of Major Mary Jennings “MJ” Hegar, recipient of the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor. Shoot Like a Girl is a straightforward, chronological narrative of Hegar’s ambition to fly for the United States, the triumphs and trials along the way, and her determination to succeed despite arbitrary obstacles thrown into her path solely because of her gender.

Hegar’s first experience of discrimination was in high school, when a trusted teacher refused to write a letter of recommendation for ROTC. The discrimination continued when her first commander refused to return her salute; when her chain of command took her husband’s job into consideration when making decisions about her professional future; when her squadron members practiced outright sabotage; and when she experienced sexual assault by an Air Force doctor during a physical that would determine whether Hegar would attend pilot school. She would eventually lobby Congress — and sue the Secretary of Defense in Hegar, et al. v. Panetta.

The front cover of Shoot Like a Girl carries the recommendation of Senator John McCain, and features an arresting photograph of Hegar in full battle gear, the edges of her body indistinct, merging into the Kandahar Mountains backdrop. Submitted as required to the Department of Defense (DoD) for vetting before publication, Shoot Like a Girl retains DoD redactions in the form of thick black rectangles obliterating sensitive details.

Filled with illustrative anecdotes and humor, Shoot Like a Girl sports an eye-catching first line. “I glanced out the window at the dark shadows of sharks just under the surface of the sea,” an experience which took place during refueling midair, as she was piloting a helicopter two dozen feet from a C-130 tanker at 120 miles per hour. Despite a usually engaging voice, Shoot Like a Girl is Intermittently dry, and although it loses momentum in the second third it recovers nicely. The action passages are nerve-racking (“As [machine-gun] rounds impacted the tail and slowly started moving forward as the enemy maneuvered the heavy gun, our eight-ton aircraft rocked like a little rowboat on the ocean”), the recounting of disrespect (even while soaked in jet fuel and covered in her own blood) breathtaking, the discussion of aviation-combat tactics fascinating.

“Outstanding, [Hegar]. You shoot like a girl,” an instructor remarked after she scored expert. Hegar is taken aback, not sure if this is a compliment or an insult. The instructor explains: “Women are physiologically predisposed to being excellent marksmen. It’s about their muscle tone, center of gravity, flexibility, heart rate, respiration.” That there are physical advantages to being a woman in combat was a revelation to her. Thus, the title. “In my experience, changing the minds of people whose opinions aren’t based on actual facts tends to be the hardest,” Hegar writes, “because their beliefs are rooted in their prejudices as opposed to reality.”

Originally published by Lone Star Literary Life.

I originally wanted read this due to quote given by Senator McCain. I thought it would be an interesting perspective to see what Major Mary Jennings Hegar thought of being in the military. What I didn't expect to do was to be so immediately hooked in by such a great writer. Major Jennings Hegar is an exceptionally natural born author, with which this story goes from interesting to gripping. I found myself multiple days reading my entire lunch break to only find I forgot to eat. It's that good.

This starts off as a coming of age biography that give you the reason why Major Hegar's story is relatable. This is relatable to all people, not just a few. Her life is one of ups & downs. But, where she succeeds & overcomes her obstacles, the reader will be cheering - Also, I found myself emotional at her losses as well.

Major Hegar puts the reader square in the pilot seat & makes you feel like you're there. I've never been a person that views autobiographies as page-turners, but I do now. This is just that, a real page-turner. If someone ever needed motivation or an example of determination, this is now my go to recommendation.

I commend Major Mary Jennings Hegar for her service. I hope her story opens more doors for women in similar positions & also makes people reevaluate the stereotypes of women in combat. I hope that Major Hegar continues her writings & follows up with another book.

I highly recommend this to all that find the synopsis even remotely interesting. Do yourself a favor, pick it up. Full 5 Stars.

This is one part war story, one part social justice tale. This isn't a feminist manifesto. It's a tale of one woman's struggle to serve her country and her unit, and the obstacles she had to overcome to do so. Hegar's a classic soldier--you read her words or hear her speak in interviews, and she's got the cadences and clipped, concise focus of most career military types. She's about the mission, she's about her buddies, and she's about her unit.

It's a focus shared by many, many of the men and women who put themselves in harm's way for us civilians. But the contrast between that warrior focus and the amount of harassment, discrimination, and downright abuse that she had to face really gives the book a dramatic tension.

The book is well-written, the action scenes are gripping, and she never shies away from the concrete to indulge in political or philosophical speculation. It's a dang fine read, non-partisan in nature, and inspiring. Our country and our military needs more M.J. Hegars.

This book was incredible. Hagar captivated me instantly with her wit and charm to her steadfast beliefs in warrior spirits and valor.

Hagar details raw moments like her sexual assault by an army physician, and a helicopter shoot down on a medical mission. There is no doubt that she's a combat veteran and fierce soldier as you read each detailed page. As she grips the helicopter and shoots at insurgents, as she gives her ammo to those more in need, as she spends her retirement fighting for the equality of other female soldiers...Hagar is a quiet yet dominant hero.

I loved her voice and her lessons about not just gender equality, but true equality, and how in the end, our character is what matters.

Plus, if you adore memoirs by soldiers, this is one of the best I've read.

Despite some questionable items, I enjoyed this book and finished it in 2 days. For example, I would expect an AF officer to know that Dover AFB is in Delaware, not Massachusetts. Also in her initial private pilot license training, she says her first solo is a cross-country jaunt after only 3 days of instruction. And she implies it was in a multi-engine plane (pg. 64, "engines"). Also, I doubt that military pilot training begins with the T-37, a dual engine jet (pg. 95). Even more confusing, on pg. 17 she states she is 5 years younger than her sister, yet a few lines later, there is a 7 year difference.

I also thought all the blacked-out names was a tad over dramatic.

Still, a good read.

This was an incredible read! More so is the first hand account MJ gives of her experiences...WOW! You can imagine the feel of the sand as she describes the terrain, very well written. Even if you are a skeptic, I challenge you to finish the book and decide for yourself whether or not women really do belong on the battlefield. From the great legends of old to the Bible itself, we are told heroic women who fought for their people, and MJ is no exception! She is a shining example of strength and character to our country, and to our armed forces everywhere. She does a great job giving respect and credit where it is due, while having the humility to admit how she learned from her mistakes. Thank you MJ for your service and to our brave men and women fighting for us all over the globe! We owe you more than our thanks, we owe our freedom to all of you. Thank you MJ for your bravery to tell the whole story, and to help break the silence and glass ceiling for women everywhere.

Hegar's memoir is well-written and interesting. Although I don't have great knowledge of the military or the Air National Guard, Hegar explains things well enough that those without prior knowledge can understand what is happening. I appreciated hearing from a woman in the military, since most of the other literature out there seems to be written by males. I also appreciate Hegar's quest to create a more level playing field for women who want to engage in on the ground combat, but are refused the ability to do this because they are women.

Hegar writes of her childhood and gives readers a sense of who she is which helped me relate to her. I enjoyed feeling like I was getting to know her as the memoir unfolded.

Hegar has received many accolades for her military skill, but she should also receive some recognition for providing an easily readable memoir about her time in the military and providing a good look at what life is like for females who choose to enlist.

Despite the title and one particular hard landing under fire, there's not much drama here. That's mostly the point, though. The sexism the author experiences is mostly subtle and underhanded. Still, she takes it rather than ending her career. Hopefully it will be easier for the women who come after her.

I read an advanced copy, so they may have fixed the various redactions through-out the book. I don't understand the purpose for that. They could just as well say "fly back to base", leaving it unspecified, instead of "fly back to base at [REDACTED]". She also likes to refer to specific operators by their assignments, which is also redacted. This doesn't do much good because she doesn't redact the other special forces units. This leaves the one the Army doesn't acknowledge or shows up in all the movies. Either way, it doesn't matter. It coy with no purpose.

There is so much to admire about Mary Jennings Hegar . Our country needs more individuals like her, both male and female. She had the moral fiber and strength to deal with all too many male chauvinist pigs in the military and elsewhere. My only regret is that the flight surgeon, Dr. Adams, who sexually assaulted her at Whiteman AFB in Missouri wasn't punished for his criminal actions, and was protected by higher ranking officer who knew what he did. Justice was not served. Mary is currently entering politics here in Texas. A few years from now she would be a strong candidate for the White House.

What I liked the most is Hegar's indomitable spirit of can do/will do. Not to be denied. MJ is running for congress in her home state of Texas. Her book proves what an extraordinary person MJ is. Very well written, I felt like was right with MJ in all the sequences in her life of service she chose to write about. This is a great American who has already made quite a difference, for all of us, for all the women and men in the Armed Services, and most of all, for herself. Read it, and enjoy.