The Army dedicates its calendar to the women with Military Courage Recognised

Group of women featured on the calendar with authorities

The Chief of Staff of the Army greets one of the soldiers

The Minister greets Idoia Rodríguez's parents

A tribute to all female soldiers, represented by some of those who have Military Courage Recognised is what the 2019 Army calendar intends to be. It was presented today at the Army General Headquarters in Madrid.

The Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles, together with the Chief of Staff of the Army, Army General Francisco Javier Varela, has presided the event that several of the female soldiers that appear on the calendar have attended. She has addressed them when claiming that their actions are 'a model to follow' and a cause to be pride for all Spaniards. 'This is a particularly moving day for me. As a woman, I feel extremely proud of the women who are here', she has added, while asserting that Spain has an unpayable gratitute debt' towards all of them and their Armed Forces partners who fight, to the extent of losing their lives, to fulfill the mission they have being assigned to defend peace, security and constitutional values.

For its part, the Chief of Staff of the Army has hightlighted that the female soldiers that appear on the 2019 calendar are 'an example' for all their female and male partners, and a demonstration that the Army 'values the capacity and aptitude', regardless of gender. In a very special way, he has also dedicated the event to the two female soldiers killed in mission and awarded with the Cross of Military Merit with Red Decoration: soldier Niyireth Pineda and soldier Idoia Rodríguez, who have also been included in the calendar. The latter's parents were invited to the event, and were greeted by the Minister and the Chief of Staff of the Army.

This calendar, made by the Army Communication Department, is a tribute to all female soldiers on occasion of the 30th anniversary of their admission to the Armed Forces. From the first moment, women participated in peacekeeping missions in combat units, so in many cases they were involved in front-line actions and confrontations. That is why 22 of them have been granted the Military Courage Recognised for their actions in combat. Additionally, 17 of them have been awarded with Weapons Merit, 9 with the Cross with Blue Decoration, and six with the Cross with Yellow Decoration.

The calendar photographs have been taken at representative spots of the towns where the destination units of the protagonists are.

The January page is dedicated to Soldier Marquínez, currently deployed in Lebanon together with their 3rd 'Príncipe' partners. She provided support in the evacuation of a partner wounded by bullet in Babi (Afghanistan) in January 2011. Afterwards, she performed reconnaissance of the state of a child who had been shot by the insurgents, while receiving enemy fire.

February features the image of Corporal Fructuoso, from the 'Ortiz de Zárate' 3rd Paratroops Battalion. She defended a wounded partner while waiting for the evacuation helicopter in August 2012 in Golojirac (Afghanistan).

Corporals Corbacho (March) and Gardete (September), both from the 16th 'Castilla' Regiment, and Cuartas (April), from the Army Advanced Medical Echelon, stood out in different confrontations with hostile forces at the Spanish base in Iraq, and ambushes in Najaf and Dewaniya in April and May 2004.

For the same actions, the courage of Sergeant Parras and Corporal Fernández López was recognised. They share the month of July with another partner from the 'King Alfonso XIII' Brigade, second of the Spanish Legion, who participated in the support of a Spanish unit that had been caught in an ambush in Dewaniya, in April 2004.

Corporal First Quintás (October) and Corporals Porras (May) and Torres (June), all of them from the 49th Infantry Regiment 'Tenerife', responded to the attacks of hostile forces in support of the Afghan security forces that were surrounded by insurgents in the Golestan valley (Afghanistan) in November 2007.

Corporal Benakhlifa (August), from the 4th Legion Tercio 'Alejandro Farnesio' responded with fire to the attack that her reconnaissance patrol was suffering in Dewaniya (Iraq). Soldier Patiño (November), from the 4th Manoeuvre Helicopter Battalion, as machine gunner from a Cougar helicopter, provided support.

Soldier Lloret (December), from the 66th Mountain Hunters Regiment 'America', responded to enemy fire while helping an injured partner, and cooperated to their transport to the helicopter evacuation area in Sagatehs (Afghanistan) in December 2011.

All these 'Brave Women' appear on behalf of the rest, and are a cause for the Army to be proud. That is why the 2019 calendar has been dedicated to them.

If you wish, you can download your PDF calendar at: http://www.ejercito.mde.es/publicaciones/calendario/calendario2019.html