Okay, Diana might not have been, but I was told to...

Submitted by Sandra (United States), Mar 15, 2005 at 14:57

" I was in the United States Air Force and was sent to Saudi Arabia in 1994. Not only was I not asked to wear an abaya, but the abaya was never mentioned during my stay in Saudi Arabia. We made several trips off base, including two trips to Bahrain "

Okay, I don't know where in the Kingdom you were, or in what capacity... I KNOW for a fact that those (women) assigned at PSAB (Prince Sutan Air Base) as well as Rhiyad (Joint SWA Ops Headquarters) were required, regardless of rank, and these HAD to be worn at anytime a Saudi "might" see them.

I was a AEG staff member in Kuwait, even Senior Officers (like our JAG) had to wear one when ever she flew into the Kingdom.

Kuwait, we could not wear Shorts less than 6 inch inseam, and Tank tops/Sport bras exposed (could wear them in the gym, in our quarters, not in public places).

I was supposed to go to a meeting at PSAB and was "issued" an abbya for the trip.

It was a double standard since STATE Department Females (employees or family members) did not HAVE to wear abbyas in public (although it was recommended to do s during Ramadan).

A KC-135 tanker crew that was deployed years before the Gulf War of 1990-91 to support the AWACS mission was DENIED landing rights and had to land in Jordan, "drop-off" their female "Boomer" and then and only then could fly into the Kingdom. It was a MAJOR international incident in the early 1980s! The nerve of a female to talk to a member of the Saudi Royal Family and give him orders!!! Air Refueling Boom Operators (Boomers) give the final commands to the aircraft that they are refueling.

So nothing is changed? Time we left them to their own devices.

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