‘A Regular Gal’ Takes on the New Military

Lt. Paula A. Coughlin finally got to testify about that night.

We heard that she changed from a new red silk dress to a tank top. That she smokes too many cigarettes. Has a margarita when she gets tense. Uses expletives when attacked.

Is this the type of woman who could bring down the top guns of the U.S. Navy and Marines?

Yes, and I thank her.

Coughlin sounds like a damn fine warrior, just the type of woman I want to see in my Navy. And she has provided us with that added benefit of finally seeing a woman in some occupation other than Heidi Fleiss’ make a lot of cavemen sweat.

A friend said Coughlin was “a regular gal.” Yes--with a backbone of steel.

She is the lone witness against the lone Marine facing possible court martial out of the debauchery of Tailhook. Two Navy guys are up next.

But Coughlin continues to serve--sitting ramrod straight when on duty, and I hope for her sake throwing down a few margaritas when off. She continues to right a wrong when so many other women victims in the same incident have not been able to survive the pressure.

I can just imagine the first response to her complaints. “So what’s the problem, Lt. Coughlin? What are you going to do about it?”

Besides making them eat such words, she’s hung in there. Losing flight time. Putting up with a Naval Investigative Service investigator pressuring her for a date when he was supposed to be working the case. And more.

But the important thing is that Coughlin complained, loudly and often. It wasn’t right that she was mauled by a gantlet of drunken aviators simply because she was there. She knew it. She said so.

It is called “the new military.” Thanks to Lt. Coughlin.