Women Are Veterans, Too!

By Pam Blair

More than 2 million women living in the United States served in the military and are the fastest growing group of veterans, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The website www. military.com notes that some 3 million women have served in the military, from the American Revolution to the present, and women now make up 15% of active duty and 18% of Guard/Reserve service members.

Famous Women Veterans

You might know that numerous well-known men like Elvis Presley, Morgan Freeman, and Clint Eastwood served in the military, but did you know that many famous women also served?

Harriet Tubman is best known for ushering slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad in the 1850s, but Tubman was also a military leader and Union spy during the Civil War. In 1863, Tubman and Colonel James Montgomery led a group of soldiers to free slaves from plantations in South Carolina, making Tubman the first woman in U.S. history to lead a military expedition

Bea Arthur is best known for her roles on the popular television shows Maude and The Golden Girls, but she was also a military truck driver in the Marine Corps. She enlisted at the age of 21 under her original name, Bernice Frankel, and was one of the first members of the Women’s Reserve

Queen Elizabeth was only 18 years old when she begged her father, King George VI, to allow her to help during World War II. She joined the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service in England, and was known as “Second Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor.” While serving, she drove military trucks and trained as a mechanic, making her the only female member of the royal family to enter the armed forces.

Honoring Women Veterans

The Women In Military Service For America Memorial, also known as the Military Women’s Memorial, was established in 1997 to honor women who have served in the Armed Forces. It is the only historical repository documenting the service of women, beginning with the American Revolution, and is located at the ceremonial entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. The Memorial features an education center, innovative and interactive exhibitions, a world-class collection of military women’s stories and artifacts, and engaging programs and events for all generations. Visitors to the Memorial experience the collective history of women in the military, along with the individual stories and memorable experiences of more than 304,000 servicewomen listed in the Memorial’s Register. While the number of women who have their stories registered is significant, it only represents about 10 percent of the 3 million women who have served.

“The Register is the very heartbeat of the Military Women’s Memorial, and our history will never be complete until every military woman’s story is told,” said Phyllis Wilson, president of the Memorial and retired Army officer. “It is always inspiring to see our visitors, especially younger family members, learn about their mother’s, sister’s, or grandmother’s service and what it meant for this country. I encourage every servicewoman to take her rightful and visible place in history for all time by registering her service with the Memorial. Those who know a servicewoman can help make that happen, too.”

Women who served, as well as family members and friends of servicewomen, can visit the Military Women’s Memorial at https:// womensmemorial.org/make-herstory/ to register. By completing a simple form with their dates of service, branch of service, awards and decorations, at least one memorable experience, and a picture in uniform, women can take their rightful and visible place in history for all time.

If you know a servicewoman or woman veteran, please take advantage of the free registration to ensure her story joins those that make up the Register. History is not complete until every military woman’s story is told. To find out more, go to https://womensmemorial.org/.

Pam Blair is a former medical librarian and communications manager who gets nervous when she doesn’t have something to read. She loves descriptive writing and has authored and edited a book and numerous other publications. Contact her at pblair919@aol.com.