This 1917 photograph from the Mare Island Navy Yard archive documents a women's drill group in matching sailor-style middy blouses, each member holding a wooden drill staff. As the United States entered World War I, civilian women's organizations across the country adopted military-style uniforms and close-order drill as a visible expression of patriotic service and home-front mobilization, often training near naval installations such as Mare Island in preparation for auxiliary or support roles. Project: 218551