In a time when our country is at war with terrorist groups, manpower is needed. Today, manpower is no longer a gender specific statement. By 2016, 30,000 combated related jobs will be available to women in the fields of combat. This ban originally being lifted by The Honorable Leon Panetta on January 24, 2013 is an ongoing process and has sparked some mixed reviews on both the civilian and military sides of the fence. A political cartoon published in Newsday in 2013 by Walt Handelsman uses Rosie the Riveter as a symbol of this change. Rosie the Riveter is compared to Rosie the Rocketeer in a side-by-side comparison with different colors, symbols, and arrangement. With this twist on such an iconic image, Mr. Handelsman aims to introduce the transition of women from non-combat jobs in the military into the combat zone. In a time where gender equality is still an issue, Women in combat is extremely admirable and is better understood with a side by side comparison of the inspirational change from women in the military workforce to women in combat.

Rosie the Riveter originally portrayed the women who served in factories, shipyards, and non-combat related jobs during World War II. Rosie stood for a symbol of strength for as she flexes her bicep with an intimidating look on her face. The original cartoon has the caption "We Can Do It!" in letters taking up a vast portion of the cartoon to help reinforce her dominance and strength to power through such a devastating time in American history. The rolled sleeves on her dark blue shirt have an extremely similar comparison to the rolled sleeves on many of the camouflage uniforms used in the Marine Corp and US Navy. With her intimidating look this image portrays the need for women as workers during a time of war. 

Walt Handelsman is an extraordinary cartoonist for Newsday and uses this original image with his own twist. With the meaning and image of Rosie the Riveter very well known throughout the audience, he strikes a new pose with Rosie, portraying her as "Rosie the Rocketer". Rosie the Rocketer is still intimidating, except on the opposite side of the spectrum this time around. She is in ACUs (Army Combat Uniform) holding an RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade). In her camouflage, she has a much meaner look on her face, symbolizing the seriousness of this drastic change in the United States Military.  With these symbols of the ACU uniform and the RPG in her hands, she looks extremely empowered and iconic with the idea that she is ready to go fight in combat. With her symbolizing this combat-ready soldier, it aims to show the bigger picture of women in combat zones.

Colors in visual texts have major impacts on the perception of the artist's ideas and statements that are meant to arise from the image. Specifically in this cartoon, Rosie the Riveter has a yellow background behind her, which can represent energy, intellect, and warmth. With this much less aggressive color, this shows how Rosie the Riveter is holding back and not using her abilities to go into a combat zone because laws limit her. With this yellow background also comes the history of the image, women in the military workplace. With women in the workplace, they require much more intellect, energy, and care for the men fighting overseas at this time. With the top of the cartoon being a white color representing purity, the transition to a cold blue background is intended represent the confidence, integrity, and power that she is capable of. The transition combined with this cold blue color transition in the background helps reinforce the artist's opinion of women in the combat zone. Starting off as pure individuals, these women transition themselves into warriors in and out of the warzone. With the confidence, integrity, and power embedded in this background color, he aims to help strengthen the new idea. By using these two colors, the drastic transition is shown on two sides of the spectrum, color and cultural. 

The arrangement changes drastically from one cartoon to the other. Rosie the Riveter is flexing her bicep once again in the same blue work uniform with a red headband to represent the working factor that she once stood for in a time of war. Being that time has changed in numerous ways, she is now portrayed in the cloth of our nation holding a firearm. With this change, it introduces the idea of women in combat and how regardless of gender, she is here to serve a very important purpose and serve our great nation. With a much meaner look on her face, she represents seriousness and the intent to do what it takes to meet the standards thrown her way. The seriousness and determination was recently shown by two women in particular to meet these standards presented to everyone.

Recently, these two female West Point graduates made history completing the grueling Army Ranger School. Capt. Kristin Griest and 1st Lt. Shaye Haver both completed the school with the same standards as the men with no handicaps. With this course being extremely grueling, physically and mentally, it is a milestone for the transition as women enter the combat zone as leaders and contributors. With both of these women being officers, this shows the strength and determination as displayed in the Newsday cartoon by Mr. Handelsman.

Today, cartoons are a huge part of our news culture. They aim to strike serious issues in a much softer manner as opposed to textual pieces by using iconic images to help better explain these issues. Unlike regular news articles, cartoons are always on the edge of political correctness, by striking points that no writer would dare to put in text. By taking Rosie the Riveter and twisting the name a few letters, Mr. Handelsman reinforces the idea that women should hold positions in the combat zone. With the use of the background colors, symbols, and arrangement of the images they help the reader better understand what the new, and improved Rosie stands for. 

