This year marks the 75th anniversary of the signing of the landmark bill that created the opportunity for women to serve their country in the U.S. armed forces. (Photo illustration by Andrew Owen courtesy Central Virginia VA Health Care System)
The bravery and hard work of women in our nation’s military, past and present, will be celebrated next week on the 75th anniversary of the act that first allowed them to serve.
The signing of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act on June 12, 1948, meant women were legally permitted to serve in the U.S. armed forces.
Richmond VA Medical Center plans not only to commemorate the history of that American milestone but to invite female veterans and active-duty service members in the region for a day that is all about uplifting and encouraging them, says Marlise Skinner, Women Veterans Program Manager for the Central Virginia VA Health Care System.
A 75-year Salute to Women in the Military will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 12 at the Virginia War Memorial, located at 621 S. Belvidere St. in Richmond. Lunch is included.
The free event will feature breakout sessions on topics such as women’s mental health, health care and job seeking; keynote speakers; the presentation of lifetime achievement awards; and a panel focused on transitioning into the civilian job market. Free professional headshots will be available to women veterans to use on their LinkedIn profiles.
“It is going to be a pretty robust day, filled with the celebration of our women veterans,” Skinner says.
The symposium will emphasize a theme of “better together” — showing what can happen when the federal Veterans Affairs department works with the state and local communities to provide for women veterans, she says.
The day will also drive home the messages of the Center for Women Veterans’ “I Am Not Invisible” campaign, which aims to increase awareness and dialogue about women veterans and highlight their contributions, needs and experiences. They will be able to tell the women who attend, “You are seen, you are important, your service is important. Every woman who has served, it is 100% voluntary. We are the only ones that can say that,” Skinner says.
Reserve free tickets here to A 75-year Salute to Women in the Military.
