medina777

An Iraqi Regular Army female soldier sits at home in August of 1991, pondering the future after her recent service in occupied Kuwait.

A Soviet female medic returns fire from her TT-33 pistol during the summer of 1942, as the Fascist Invaders attack her unit. She is wearing a pre-war brown leather jacket with medical collar tabs, a navy blue uniform skirt, black leather boots and black stockings, and currently has an officer's map case as her medical bag was left behind in the attack. What little medicine she could save is in that case, and she is trying to keep the Germans at bay long enough to link up with the rest of her medical detachment.

A portrayal of a female member of the Iraqi Ba'ath Party (Revolutionary Command Council), standing in a hotel in Baghdad in November of 1990, waiting to give a short press conference on the current situation in Kuwait. I think Saddam would be proud of this loyal Ba'athist Comrade...

"Arkan's Tigers" (Serbian Volunteer Guard) photo. This living history / reenactment photo portrays a female combat member of the infamous paramilitary unit "Arkan's Tigers" (there were three female members of the Serbian Volunteer Guard from 1991-1995, that saw combat operations with the unit in Croatia and Bosnia). There are only a few known photos of these women in action with the Tigers, all of which are very rare and nearly impossible to find. Many women worked in staff, communications, and operations positions in rear headquarters areas for Zeljko "Arkan" Raznatovic, but history only records three that fought in combat. As with all of the combat uniforms of Arkan's Tigers, the style and appearance changed from their inception on October 11th, 1990, until their disbandment in April of 1996. This specific photo attempts to portray "Lena", an officer in the SDG, participating in combat operations in Bosnia, wearing one of the early versions of the female uniform (1991-1993). The Serbian Volunteer Guard first wore blue MILICIJA ("Militia/Police") uniforms in the early days of the war, followed shortly thereafter by various green uniforms, Serbian "tiger stripe" camouflage uniforms, M89 camouflage sets, and then M93 camouflage. They also wore all black uniforms, and eventually NATO-style woodland camouflage. All of the uniforms (except the Milicija ones) had the SDG embroidered patch on the upper right sleeve, and the "tiger's head" (TIGROVI) patch on the upper left sleeve. Sometimes, however, they are seen wearing these patches on the opposite sides than normal. The female combat members originally wore the uniform jackets with black heavyweight cotton skirts, black stockings, and black leather "riding-style" boots. Eventually the rigors of combat necessitated a switch to the more commonly seen camouflage pants, sometime around late 1993. Green, black, and then eventually red berets were worn, with either the Krajina TO rectangular Serbian flag badge, the Serbian and Krajina Police flag on a gold ornamental base, a metal "Tigers" badge, or a small embroidered SDG badge. Serbian M89/M93 camouflage caps were also worn, as were black wool hats, face masks, and bandannas on occasion. JNA breast badges indicated rank; Zeljko "Arkan" Raznatovic, who wore no rank insignia, promoted his troops to officer rank and at least three to general officers - although only the SDG recognized the ranks; in this photo, "Lena" is ostensibly a Potpukovnik (Lt. Colonel).

"Arkan's Tigers" (Serbian Volunteer Guard) photo. This living history / reenactment photo portrays a female combat member of the infamous paramilitary unit "Arkan's Tigers" (there were three female members of the Serbian Volunteer Guard from 1991-1995, that saw combat operations with the unit in Croatia and Bosnia). There are only a few known photos of these women in action with the Tigers, all of which are very rare and nearly impossible to find. Many women worked in staff, communications, and operations positions in rear headquarters areas for Zeljko "Arkan" Raznatovic, but history only records three that fought in combat. As with all of the combat uniforms of Arkan's Tigers, the style and appearance changed from their inception on October 11th, 1990, until their disbandment in April of 1996. This specific photo attempts to portray "Lena", an officer in the SDG, participating in combat operations in Bosnia, wearing one of the early versions of the female uniform (1991-1993). The Serbian Volunteer Guard first wore blue MILICIJA ("Militia/Police") uniforms in the early days of the war, followed shortly thereafter by various green uniforms, Serbian "tiger stripe" camouflage uniforms, M89 camouflage sets, and then M93 camouflage. They also wore all black uniforms, and eventually NATO-style woodland camouflage. All of the uniforms (except the Milicija ones) had the SDG embroidered patch on the upper right sleeve, and the "tiger's head" (TIGROVI) patch on the upper left sleeve. Sometimes, however, they are seen wearing these patches on the opposite sides than normal. The female combat members originally wore the uniform jackets with black heavyweight cotton skirts, black stockings, and black leather "riding-style" boots. Eventually the rigors of combat necessitated a switch to the more commonly seen camouflage pants, sometime around late 1993. Green, black, and then eventually red berets were worn, with either the Krajina TO rectangular Serbian flag badge, the Serbian and Krajina Police flag on a gold ornamental base, a metal "Tigers" badge, or a small embroidered SDG badge. Serbian M89/M93 camouflage caps were also worn, as were black wool hats, face masks, and bandannas on occasion. JNA breast badges indicated rank; Zeljko "Arkan" Raznatovic, who wore no rank insignia, promoted his troops to officer rank and at least three to general officers - although only the SDG recognized the ranks; in this photo, "Lena" is ostensibly a Potpukovnik (Lt. Colonel).

My beautiful friend Kristen portraying a Soviet Russian female soldier of a Guards Armored Division, circa 1944.

BOSNIAN-SERB ARMY / ARMY OF THE SERB REPUBLIC ("Vojska Republike Srpske") photo. This living history / reenactment photo portrays a female combat member of an infantry unit of the VRS (Bosnian-Serb Army). Many women worked in staff, communications, and operations positions in rear headquarters areas for the military forces of the Republika Srpska, but there were large numbers that served in front line brigades, as well as attached paramilitary units and militias. As with all of the female combat uniforms of the Bosnian-Serb Army, the style and appearance changed from their inception on August 12th, 1992, until the end of the war in 1995. This specific photo attempts to portray a female soldier participating in combat operations in Bosnia, wearing one of the early versions of the female uniform (circa 1993).

"Arkan's Tigers" (Serbian Volunteer Guard) photo. This living history / reenactment photo portrays a female combat member of the infamous paramilitary unit "Arkan's Tigers" (there were three female members of the Serbian Volunteer Guard from 1991-1995, that saw combat operations with the unit in Croatia and Bosnia). There are only a few known photos of these women in action with the Tigers, all of which are very rare and nearly impossible to find. Many women worked in staff, communications, and operations positions in rear headquarters areas for Zeljko "Arkan" Raznatovic, but history only records three that fought in combat. As with all of the combat uniforms of Arkan's Tigers, the style and appearance changed from their inception on October 11th, 1990, until their disbandment in April of 1996. This photo attempts to portray "Ljiljana", a soldier in the SDG, participating in combat operations in Bosnia, wearing one of the early versions of the female uniform (1991-1993). The Serbian Volunteer Guard first wore blue MILICIJA ("Militia/Police") uniforms in the early days of the war, followed shortly thereafter by various green uniforms, Serbian "tiger stripe" camouflage uniforms, M89 camouflage sets, and then M93 camouflage. They also wore all black uniforms, and eventually NATO-style woodland camouflage. All of the uniforms (except the Milicija ones) had the SDG embroidered patch on the upper right sleeve, and the "tiger's head" (TIGROVI) patch on the upper left sleeve. Sometimes, however, they are seen wearing these patches on the opposite sides than normal. The female combat members originally wore the uniform jackets with black heavyweight cotton skirts, black stockings, and black leather "riding-style" boots. Eventually the rigors of combat necessitated a switch to the more commonly seen camouflage pants, sometime around late 1993. Green, black, and then eventually red berets were worn, with either the Krajina TO rectangular Serbian flag badge, the Serbian and Krajina Police flag on a gold ornamental base, a metal "Tigers" badge, or a small embroidered SDG badge. Serbian M89/M93 camouflage caps were also worn, as were black wool hats, face masks, and bandannas on occasion. JNA breast badges indicated rank; Zeljko "Arkan" Raznatovic, who wore no rank insignia, promoted his troops to officer rank and at least three to general officers - although only the SDG recognized the ranks.

"Arkan's Tigers" (Serbian Volunteer Guard) photo. This living history / reenactment photo portrays a female combat member of the infamous paramilitary unit "Arkan's Tigers" (there were three female members of the Serbian Volunteer Guard from 1991-1995, that saw combat operations with the unit in Croatia and Bosnia). There are only a few known photos of these women in action with the Tigers, all of which are very rare and nearly impossible to find. Many women worked in staff, communications, and operations positions in rear headquarters areas for Zeljko "Arkan" Raznatovic, but history only records three that fought in combat. As with all of the combat uniforms of Arkan's Tigers, the style and appearance changed from their inception on October 11th, 1990, until their disbandment in April of 1996. This specific set of photos attempts to portray "Lena", an officer in the SDG, participating in combat operations in Bosnia, wearing one of the early versions of the female uniform (1991-1993). The Serbian Volunteer Guard first wore blue MILICIJA ("Militia/Police") uniforms in the early days of the war, followed shortly thereafter by various green uniforms, Serbian "tiger stripe" camouflage uniforms, M89 camouflage sets, and then M93 camouflage. They also wore all black uniforms, and eventually NATO-style woodland camouflage. All of the uniforms (except the Milicija ones) had the SDG embroidered patch on the upper right sleeve, and the "tiger's head" (TIGROVI) patch on the upper left sleeve. Sometimes, however, they are seen wearing these patches on the opposite sides than normal. The female combat members originally wore the uniform jackets with black heavyweight cotton skirts, black stockings, and black leather "riding-style" boots. Eventually the rigors of combat necessitated a switch to the more commonly seen camouflage pants, sometime around late 1993. Green, black, and then eventually red berets were worn, with either the Krajina TO rectangular Serbian flag badge, the Serbian and Krajina Police flag on a gold ornamental base, a metal "Tigers" badge, or a small embroidered SDG badge. Serbian M89/M93 camouflage caps were also worn, as were black wool hats, face masks, and bandannas on occasion. JNA breast badges indicated rank; Zeljko "Arkan" Raznatovic, who wore no rank insignia, promoted his troops to officer rank and at least three to general officers - although only the SDG recognized the ranks; in this photo, "Lena" is ostensibly a Potpukovnik (Lt. Colonel).

FEMALE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER IN SADDAM'S ARMY: Historical reenactment / living history photo. This unique photo portrays a female member of the Regular Iraqi Army, circa 1991. From 1980 to 1991, female volunteers were an important part of the Iraqi military under the presidency of Saddam Hussein. Women served in the Ba'ath Militia ("Popular Army") and the Regular Iraqi Army in staff service, communications, medical, and security roles. This reenactment shows Mulazim awwal (1st Lieutenant) Amina Hariri in Baghdad, in July of 1991. She is dressed in one version of the female two-pocket jackets, and is wearing her golden Ba'ath Party Badge, her General Federation of Iraqi Women pin (showing President Saddam), and her recently awarded Um al-Ma'arik medal for her participation in military operations in occupied Kuwait from 1990-1991.