103-year-old World War II Veteran shares one timeless piece of advice for all women

Women are often expected to adapt, to anticipate, to think a few steps ahead. That kind of awareness isn’t always labeled as strength, but it shows up in the way they make decisions, notice what’s unspoken, and carry responsibility. It’s a form of wisdom that doesn’t always get acknowledged, until someone like Dorothea Barron puts it into words. In an interview with BFBS Forces News (@forcesnews), 103-year-old war veteran Dorothea Barron shared her perspective on the role of women, reflecting on what she believes they bring that is often overlooked.

When she was asked what message she would give to women serving in the military today, she responded, "I'm very much in admiration of them. We need women in there. We need a sobering voice." She continued, "Women are, I'm afraid, much more sensible than men. I know my sons-in-law will curl up in horror at that, but they are. Women see round corners and think round corners. Men just see in a straight line." That kind of insight is reflected in research as well. A 2018 study titled "Gender differences in emotion perception and self-reported emotional intelligence" found that women tend to be more accurate than men in identifying low-intensity or ambiguous emotional expressions. This ability, known as emotional sensitivity, suggests that women are often more attuned to subtle emotional cues in others.

The study also reported that women rated themselves higher on emotional intelligence, indicating a deeper awareness of both their own emotions and those of the people around them. These findings help explain why traits like foresight, emotional attentiveness, and intuitive decision-making — qualities Barron described — are often observed in women, even if they’re not always named or praised outright. Barron also addressed the deeper cost of conflict, drawing from her experience during the Second World War. "Nobody bloody well wins a war. Everybody loses any war. Nobody wins, absolutely nobody. Even the victors have suffered and they've lost their loved ones," she said. When asked what she believed the answer to be, she responded, "War is useless. You've got to talk."

Her comments struck a chord online, with many praising the honesty and depth of her words. @divinadecampo wrote, "Women see round corners. That is such a perfect distillation of how so many more women have to think about consequences rather than just the action." @sartor_sailor commented, "Never have I heard that expressed so eloquently ‘women think around corners,’ yes Dorothy!" @stillinluck said, "Queen energy, you brilliant woman and words we should all listen louder." @kayleighbutcherphotography wrote, "Absolutely love this woman. When she said nobody wins you could see in her eyes everything she's seen, felt and went through as well as others. We need a matriarchal society."

@penny_rhodie1 added, "'War is useless, you’ve got to talk.' She is so right! May we all figure this out and not harm each other anymore. People need to realize that what they do to others, they ultimately do to themselves." @wallersounds quipped, "What an amazing woman!! Dorothea, we need more people like you and hear what you have to say." @pumpkeen

chimed in, "Men resort to violence when they can't convince you. She is brilliant."

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