Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth of Illinois made a great joke Thursday about the many injuries she received while serving her country in Iraq.
Chatting with MSNBC’s Tamron Hall about the Combat Action Badge that she wears on her uniform, Duckworth said, “I usually joke and say, ‘No, I got it in a bar fight. You should see the other chick.’”
TAMRON HALL, HOST: We’ve been following breaking news this hour, history in fact. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announcing the Pentagon is lifting the ban on women serving in combat. And joining me now, Democratic Congresswoman and Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, one of the first female combat vets elected to Congress. Congresswoman, thank you so much for your time and your service. Let me get your, you're all smiles so obviously I know you're quite pleased with the announcement today.
CONGRESSWOMAN TAMMY DUCKWORTH (D-ILLINOIS): I am very pleased. Women have been serving in combat, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan for the last ten years. So I see this as just a formality in lifting those restrictions so women finally serve on equal footing. They have been doing the job. They just haven't been getting credit for it. So it's about time.
HALL: And it’s interesting, I saw you featured in the Nightly News piece last night, and you when people look at your injuries, you didn't get those in a bar fight as you explained it when asked about women in combat.
DUCKWORTH: Right. I actually, you know, would have people come up to me and say, “Do you think women should serve in combat?” I wear a Combat Action Badge on my uniform. That's given only for combat action. And I just, you know, I usually joke and say, “No, I got it in a bar fight. You should see the other chick.”
For those unfamiliar with Duckworth, she is the first disabled women to be elected to the House of Representatives.
She is also the first female double amputee from the Iraq war losing her right leg near the hip and her left leg below the knee after the helicopter she was co-piloting was hit by a rocket propelled grenade fired by Iraqi insurgents on November 12, 2004.
I may not like her politics, but I sure admire her service and her sense of humor.
