As they sit at the table sipping coffee, one excited for the army life to come, the other reliving memories, these two women bond, over a life that few will understand.

Doris Francis is a World War II veteran, among the women who took up the call to serve, replacing the men in army offices in the states — while those men went overseas.

Brianna Lambert will soon leave for her training.

The two met at Poverty Bay Coffee Shop, where Lambert works alongside Francis’ daughter, shop owner Alice Olmstead.

“We were told we wouldn’t go overseas,” Francis said. “We wouldn’t be in combat. That’s the only way my parents would let me go.”

Francis was 21 when she enlisted in September 1942. She was inspired after going to a hockey game the night of the Pearl Harbor attack: Dec. 7, 1941. At the game, the “Star Spangled Banner” came on and she saw a group of soldiers in the stands. Then when she saw a magazine article about how women could help, she joined.

“It wasn’t the heavy stuff men did,” Francis said. “We weren’t even taught to shoot guns. But we marched on muddy roads.”

In the beginning, their clothes didn’t fit. They were given bigger British women’s clothing and men’s overcoats.

“The tall women looked so handsome,” Francis said, then adding with a giggle, “those of us in the back, all you could see was Hobby hats, overcoats and boots.”

In 1943, Francis transferred to the Army Administration School, where she did clerical work and helped train all the new girls.

One of Francis’ most poignant memories is when she was sworn in as an officer. A friend had brought Francis’ mother out as a surprise to pin on her officer stripes.

Then it was time for the oath.

“I’ll always remember,” Francis said. “I always get a lump in my throat. We all took our oath together and right after they said dismissed, all I could see is all these women walking, then “Taps” started…and there were hundreds of women in uniform saluting “Taps.”

Francis was still in the military when the war ended. The office where she served had a wall of photos of women in the war, doing everything from flying to working assembly lines for the army, and taking over for the men on the home front. When the war ended, Francis was able to take those photos and turned them into a scrapbook.

“Don’t ever in any sort of emergency sell the American woman short,” Francis said. “The women are wonderful.”

A different story

For Lambert, it’s a different story, one that tells of how much the military has progressed in the years since Francis’ time.

“I joined for the education,” Lambert said. “It turned into so much more. I have a desire to do something that not a lot of people do, not just a life in Federal Way.”

Lambert will leave Dec. 29 for training, then will continue on for medic training, then flight training. Her goal is to be a flight nurse.

She will also learn how to jump out of planes.

“I was really nervous for the physical part at first,” Lambert said. “But not as much anymore. I’ve been working out with my co-worker. I am in the best shape of my life.”

Lambert will spend four years in active military and four years in the reserves. After a year of training, she will enter a nursing program with the army.

Although the years and experience may separate them, Francis has the same advice that was given to her years ago for Lambert.

“Those who don’t make mistakes are the ones who didn’t do anything.”