As an active-duty member of the US Army, it’s been a while since a history piece hit the way this one did. Released on Netflix just about a week ago, this Tyler Perry Studios produced film has been making waves. A black historical movie on the forgotten efforts of the first All-Black Women’s Battalion of the Women’s Army Corp.

The movie is set just in the early stages of World War II. A young girl, in high school, named Lena King, played by Ebony Obsidian, has her troubles with some students at a de-segregated school she attends. The bright light of her time there is a young boy names Abram David, played by Gregg Sulkin. He is Jewish and comes from a well-off family but is in love with Lena. Abram makes the brave decision to enlist and help his country fight the war. He promises to write Lena as tells her to look to the sky because he will be a pilot. Only a few weeks go by and Lena gets the bad news that Abram’s plane was shot down shortly after arriving. Devastated, she takes some time to grieve, but eventually she comes to the conclusion to join the army herself. He mom did not approve of her decision, but she enlisted anyway.

Now, Private King, is shipped off to basic training and her commanding officer is Lieutenant Charity Adams, played by Kerry Washington. LT Adams is a no games, authoritative woman who understands the mission but more importantly she understands the culture she represents. She does everything to standard and informs her soldiers they need to be at their best at all times. Lena meets a few ladies and becomes friends. Johnnie Mae, played by Shaunice Washington and Delores Washington played by Sarah Jeffery. This is Lena’s first time really being around and dealing with other black women so it takes some adjusting. Not only to the women in the barracks but the life that is the Army. Lena struggles in completing tasks and drills but continues to put her best foot forward. LT Adams ensures that when orders come down, she and the rest of her formation will be ready.

LT Adams finally receives orders. 6888th Battalion, Postal Battalion. Confused and unimpressed about the mission. She gathers her formation an informs them that they are going to the war. Their mission was given to them with doubt, but they will prove the command wrong. The 6888th BN ships off to Glasglow, Scotland and then makes their way over to Birmingham, England. The mission given to these women is a simple but daunting task. The morale of the soldiers is low because their families and themselves haven’t been receiving mail for the past 10 months. The women of the 6888th need to correct this issue. Now, Major Adams and Captain Campbell, have arrived on site. They are told that there is close to 17 million pieces of mail that needs to be sorted and delivered within a 6-month window.

Conditions were deplorable. They were not treated with the same respect as the rest of the soldiers in country. They were not given the same accommodations either. They were given a rundown building which they had to clean themselves. this building served as the sleeping quarters as well as showers, self-care, dining facility and work facility. Within the first few weeks they had managed to send out thousands of pieces of mail, but it was all returned. With the eyes of the command on their backs, this didn’t look good for them. They were berated about their competence and ability to execute the mission. Maj. Adams stood fast and backed up her soldiers at every turn of doubt.

Direction given was to sort by name or ID number. That worked for a small percentage of the mail. Soldiers are fighting all over in various conditions, so are the letters they send. Can’t read the name or number, can’t send the letter anywhere. Once it is knowledge that mail was returned, the ladies begin to think outside the box to figure out where the mail goes and whom it belongs to. Some of the women identified where mail goes based on the perfume their wives or girlfriends spray on the mail. Some had rats eating through so a woman good at crossword puzzles looked at them to piece it together. Others helped by identifying where fabric came from. If all else failed, they just had to open and read the letters. Maj Adams was knocked for her use of techniques and her commanding officer tried to get her court marshalled because she stood her ground and told him “Over my dead body,” in a scene where she defended her troops when he tried to shut down their operation. Very powerful moment that inspired her battalion to go even harder.

Through all the doubt, berating and ridicule that was done to their face. Getting that recognition in the train station was everything. Not just to them but for the audience as well. We knew it would come but how and when was the question. Being active duty, make me appreciate these stories much more. Even though I come from a military family.

Notable recognition for the 6888th Postal Battalion were that they were given 6 months to complete the mission and did it in less than 90. They did it so well they moved further into the battlefield to France to do the same job with their no fail attitude. They were the only women deployed overseas during the war. Over the last year when they began to rename the Army installations, Fort Lee, VA was renamed to Fort Gregg-Adams. She is the first and only woman of any race, color or creed to have this accomplishment. I also found out that there is a museum on post dedicated to these women and other accomplishments of black soldiers and it is mandatory for the AIT recruits to go see it while training.

This is a beautiful story told, and even though the women of 6888 wasn’t officially recognized until 70 years later, their accomplishments will forever be engraved with soldiers past, present and future.