R. A. Pace
Spanning from 1998 until 2002,
Damaged Goods, a memoir, explores the personal experiences of a female United States Air Force enlistee, focusing on the treatment of women within today's military culture. At its core
, Damaged Goods exposes the prevalence of military sexual trauma and the attitudes that enable MST's existence. Due to its content, the memoir is not appropriate for young readers.
R. A. Pace served on active duty in the United States Air Force, stationed at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, from 1998 until 2003. During that time, she also deployed to Germany and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and traveled independently throughout Europe. In 2008, R. A. Pace received an M. A. in English from Western Carolina University.
ARMISTIC DAY 1998
GRANDMOTHER: I want you to know that I think what you are doing is very brave.
MOTHER: Told you so.
Maryland’s Baltimore International Airport. Waiting. Rotation. To England. Newly enlisted. The United States Air Force. Air Force Specialty Code 3S031. Personnel. To study the military. Not to die. Fly a desk.
REBECCA PACE: I don’t feel like I’m doing anything extraordinary.
GRANDMOTHER: My mother did what you are doing. Left her country as a teenager, younger than you. I couldn’t imagine what it must have been like.
REBECCA PACE: Anyone can do what I am doing.
MOTHER: You don’t realize what you’re getting into yet. You’ll learn more than the other kids your age that just go off to college.
REBECCA PACE: Yeah. That was the plan.
An announcement. Flight number. Grandmother, mother, and me. Running. Grandmother falls behind. The terminal. Noun: terminal => a station. Adjective: terminal => deadly; fatal; life-threatening; mortal.
MOTHER: Take care of yourself. Call me.
