The Military is A Family: Observations on Taking Care of People

The daughter of the Commandant at the New York Military Academy, Sherry Gill married her husband in 1969, and their first assignment as a married couple was Graduate School at Berkeley. The next 30 years consisted of working, raising a family, and being part of the Army community everywhere from Germany, to Washington D.C., to California, and Hawaii. In this interview, Sherry Gill talks about the culture shock she experienced upon arriving at UC Berkley in the late 60s, raising three children, and the teamwork that holds military families together. She admits it was not always easy to maintain her career as a physical therapist, but emphasizes the importance of prioritizing responsibilities. Discussing her role as an Army wife and mother, she says, “It is harder sending your son to Afghanistan than your husband to Vietnam.” For her whole life, Sherry Gill has been involved with the Army in one way or another.