On Women Veterans Day, we honor their service and seek to understand the challenges they face

In honor of Women Veterans Day, the Dallas Morning News did a editoral outlined below to bring attention to the challenges faced by women veterans.

Dallas Morning News Editorial

Here in Texas there is no shortage of love for our military veterans, but last year our state decided to take a step back and designate June 12 as a special day to pay tribute to a group of veterans too often overlooked: Women.

It should be no secret that women play an integral role in our nation's armed forces. So we are delighted at the opportunity to honor them, and we are mindful of the fact that to do so we must also understand the unique challenges they face.

As in seemingly everything else, the population of women veterans is bigger in Texas than anywhere else. Of the 2 million women veterans in the country, approximately 180,000 live in our state.

For the honor of volunteering to serve, women have faced down many obstacles. In years past, they were locked out of serving in combat roles. But they became drill instructors and started flying combat planes as early as 1993. The ban on women in combat was broadly lifted by the Defense Department in 2013. As of April this year, 12 women have graduated the Army Ranger School.

One challenge women consistently face is the risk of sexual assault. While the numbers continue to decline, 4.3 percent of women in the military reported being sexually assaulted in 2016. And that's likely a significant undercount. That same year, the military estimated 68 percent of sexual assaults went unreported. What's more, nearly 60 percent of women experienced a backlash in their unit when they reported a sexual assault.

After the military, women face additional hurdles. Female veterans are three to four times more likely than their civilian counterparts to become homeless and 2.5 times more likely to commit suicide.

As with their male counterparts, women veterans often have trouble finding a civilian job. VR Small, a six-year Navy veteran and founder of the Veteran Women's Enterprise Centerin Dallas, repeated to us what we've heard elsewhere: Employers have difficulty identifying transferable skills on résumés. "Some veteran women have the necessary skills, but have trouble getting an interview, let alone a job," she said.

Yet despite all of this, the number of women in the ranks has grown. In 1973, with the end of the draft and the advent of the all-volunteer force, women made up just 2 percent of enlisted forces and 8 percent of the officer corps. Today, those figures are 16 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

We owe all of our veterans our gratitude and respect. But on this Women Veterans Day in Texas, take a minute to get know the women veterans among us. They volunteer for the same reasons as men, but their service can come at a steep personal price. The least we can do in return is to understand and honor their service.

What's your view?

Got an opinion about this issue? Send a letter to the editor, and you just might get published.

Texas to honor women veterans on Tuesday

thayer.rose@stripes.com
Twitter: @Rose_Lori

AUSTIN, Texas — V.R. Small can still recall the awkwardness when she told people that she served. Fresh from the Navy in 1984, Small would sometimes mention that she was a veteran. She said people would hesitate, ignore her or offer a strange look.

“No one said, ‘Thank you for your service,’ ” said Small, now in her 50s and helping female veterans launch small businesses as executive director of the Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center in Dallas. “This is why [women] don’t self-identify [as veterans]. When they did tell, people acted like didn’t matter, so they stopped.”

For Army veteran Adrienne Evans-Quickley, the frustration kicked in when accessing her benefits. She was asked constantly for her spouse’s Social Security number, which was followed by confusion when she explained she was the veteran.

“We don’t get the same kudos that my father, my uncle or my son can,” said Evans-Quickley, now in her 60s.

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Texas has about 177,500 female veterans, the most of any state, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In 2017, state lawmakers recognized the lack of awareness and enacted a law naming June 12 as Women Veterans Day to highlight their role in the military and commemorate their valor and sacrifice. The date marks the anniversary of President Harry Truman signing the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 that allowed women to serve as permanent, regular members of the military.

“We did what needed to be done and our service matters,” said Evans-Quickley, one of the many women who testified last year in support of the bill brought forward by state Rep. Victoria Neave, D-Dallas.

For the first time, some women veterans in Texas plan to come together to honor their service, educate others about their history and raise awareness of resources available to women who served.

“I’m so grateful for Texas. I’m not an original Texan, but I’m so grateful. I’ve made it my home — the place where Oveta Culp Hobby made a stance,” Evans-Quickley said, referencing the first director of the Women’s Army Corps who fought for the women’s service organization to get respect and funding within the military.

Building camaraderie

Women make up about 10 percent of the U.S. veteran population, but many of them do not identify themselves as veterans, largely due to the perception that veterans are men, said Anna Baker, the female veterans program manager with the Texas Veterans Commission. She said some statistics show as many as 70 percent of female veterans do not self-identify.

“Sometimes women feel that if they didn’t deploy then they aren’t eligible for benefits, which is definitely not the case. Additionally, women may not identify because of some incident that may have occurred while they were in the military,” Baker said.

Hiding from their service can cost women camaraderie, benefits and recognition.

However, Evans-Quickley is proud to share that she carried on a family legacy of service, beginning with her stepfather and continued through her son.

As president of the Fort Hood area chapter of the Women’s Army Corps Veterans Association, she has helped coordinate local events to bring out female veterans to allow them to connect with each other and the VA. She also plans to travel to the state capital in Austin for the Texas Veterans Commission’s celebration. Events also are scheduled in Killeen, Houston, Dallas, Longview, Lubbock, Fredericksburg, Denton, San Antonio and Montgomery. The Austin event is anticipating more than 200 participants.

“To me, it’s important because we need to make sure these women are recognized,” said Marine Corps veteran Lashondra Jones, 43.

Through her job as program manager with Catholic Charities, Jones helped coordinate the Houston event, which will pay special recognition to World War II veterans.

“No one knows the service and sacrifice they gave. It’s definitely important to honor those women while they are still here,” she said.

Marion Bell, 90, and Dorothy Stroud, 97, are two World War II veterans and residents of the same nursing home in Sugar Land who plan to be at the festivities at Houston’s City Hall.

“Like my mother always said, ‘Better late than never,’ ” Bell said. “It is really wonderful to finally be recognized.”

Bell served with the Air Corps and was promoted twice in the two years that she served. Stroud served eight years, beginning as a typist and working her way up. In 1944, she traveled to France.

“I landed on Omaha Beach, late August, early September, and went into Paris. I spent ’44 and ’45 there,” she said. “I saw the war end. It was a big day. It was a big, big day.”

She described her memories of that time and her work during the Korean War as “some of them bad, some of them funny and some of them really, really great.”

Jones recalled her time in uniform — 50 years after Bell and Stroud— and she said she was often the only woman around during her days in the Corps.

“For me, it was truly a sense of brotherhood. However, they were hard on me, because that’s the nature of the beast in the Marine Corps,” she said. “We were expected to keep up, just like they were. We had to do everything they did and we could not fail.”

These days, Jones said she loves to see women in the headlines for breaking barriers, but it’s also frustrating. It should be the norm to see women doing great things for their country, she said.

In Dallas, event coordinator Small is hoping to create a safe space for women and to educate veterans and the public on women’s history of military service. She spent four years in the Navy in the early 1980s, and is often met with hesitation or awkwardness when she tells people that she is a veteran.

“We’re not different, but we are treated different sometimes,” Small said, noting some people seem to ignore what she said or will ask for identification as proof. “For me, (this day) is really about our history. It’s not about being separate from the men. We are brothers-in-arms, we fight side by side. But they didn’t need somebody to say you can serve.

“We weren’t always welcome with open arms, but we took all the nonsense and paid our dues,” Small said. “We don’t want to just benefit from freedom, we are one of the benefactors of freedom.”

Connecting to resources

There also are issues more common to female veterans, such as unemployment, affordable child care and military sexual assault.

Romaine Barnett, a 47-year-old Navy veteran working with the Houston event, said she is well aware of these issues and how identifying as a veteran can help some women heal. She said she experienced sexual trauma during her service.

“Sometimes pride of service conflicts with the trauma of service,” Barnett said. “If we begin to speak those words out of our mouth, we can create space to reconcile our service with the trauma we’ve had.”

The events Tuesday are, in part, designed to help women veterans find resources.

The VA is continuing to expand and improve services for women, said Baker, of the veterans commission. On Tuesday, she and her team plan to reach across the state and connect with as many female veterans attending celebrations as possible. She also handled primary planning for the Austin event.

“If women don’t enroll in the VA and understand what their benefits are, along the road there may be some life challenge they become faced with,” Baker said, adding by the time they do find the VA, it could be too late to get help and can become detrimental to their family.

“Once they make that connection, we can help them, but a lot of times it’s in the 11th hour and they’re struggling with how to get beyond this challenge,” she said.

Baker also hopes the events will change people’s minds about who veterans are and what women can do when they serve.

“Lots of women veterans are really stepping forward in their communities and in the state,” she said, referencing the many female veterans running for public office in 2018.

For female veterans who might not have allowed themselves to be celebrate their service, Houston resident Jones hopes they change their minds and come out on this special day.

“Be proud of your service. Don’t be afraid to tell anyone about your service and what you did,” she said. “Your role was just as significant as the next person that enlisted.”

NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK AWARDS - IS IT TIME TO LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE?

SBA Accepting 2018 National Small Business Week Awards Nominations

Release Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Release Number: 17-65 ND

Contact: sheri.weston@sba.gov

FARGO – The U.S. Small Business Administration is now accepting nominations for its 2018 National Small Business Week Awards, including the annual Small Business Person of the Year. Since 1963, National Small Business Week has recognized the outstanding achievements of America’s small businesses for their contributions to their local communities, and to our nation’s economy.

The dedicated website www.sba.gov/nsbw/awards provides forms, criteria and guidelines for submitting a nomination.

SBA Awards given in celebration of National Small Business Week, April 29 – May 5, 2018, include the following:

• Small Business Person of the Year
  • One from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam.
• Small Business Exporter of the Year
• Phoenix Awards for Disaster Recovery
  • Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery
  • Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Public Official
  • Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Volunteer
• Federal Procurement Awards
  • Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year
  • Small Business Subcontractor of the Year
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards for Excellence (for large prime contractors who use small businesses as suppliers and contractors)
  • 8(a) Graduate of the Year
• Jody C. Raskind Lender of the Year
• Small Business Investment Company of the Year
• Awards to SBA Resource Partners
  • Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Excellence and Innovation Center Award
  • Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award
  • Veterans Business Outreach Center  Excellence in Service Award

All nominations must be submitted no later than 3 p.m. on January 9, 2018.  All nomination packages must be hand delivered or mailed to the nearest SBA Office.  Email submissions of SBA Awards forms will not be accepted as they contain personally identifiable information (PII).

North Dakota submissions may be hand delivered or mailed to the SBA at 657 2nd Avenue North, Room 360, Fargo, ND 58102, or 102 North 4th Street, Suite 104, Grand Forks, ND 58203.

For additional information, contact Sheri Weston at sheri.weston@sba.gov(link sends e-mail) or 701-239-5044.

# # #

About the Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 and since January 13, 2012 has served as a Cabinet-level agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.  The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses.  Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, the SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. www.sba.gov

The History of Veterans Day

History of Veterans Day

Taken from https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp

World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

Soldiers of the 353rd Infantry near a church at Stenay, Meuse in France, wait for the end of hostilities.  The article photo was taken at 10:58 a.m., on November 11, 1918, two minutes before the armistice ending World War I went into effect

In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"

The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m.

The United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926, with these words:

Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and

Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and

Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.

An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Later that same year, on October 8th, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first "Veterans Day Proclamation" which stated: "In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible."

President Eisenhower signing HR7786, changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day.  In attendance with him Alvin J. King, Wayne Richards, Arthur J. Connell, John T. Nation, Edward Rees, Richard L. Trombla, Howard W. Watts 

On that same day, President Eisenhower sent a letter to the Honorable Harvey V. Higley, Administrator of Veterans' Affairs (VA), designating him as Chairman of the Veterans Day National Committee.

In 1958, the White House advised VA's General Counsel that the 1954 designation of the VA Administrator as Chairman of the Veterans Day National Committee applied to all subsequent VA Administrators. Since March 1989 when VA was elevated to a cabinet level department, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has served as the committee's chairman.

The Uniform Holiday Bill (Public Law 90-363 (82 Stat. 250)) was signed on June 28, 1968, and was intended to ensure three-day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. It was thought that these extended weekends would encourage travel, recreational and cultural activities and stimulate greater industrial and commercial production. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holidays on their original dates.

The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on October 25, 1971. It was quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on September 20th, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. This action supported the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all major veterans service organizations and the American people.

Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

GET CONNECTED TO THE RESOURCES YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

Join the VWEC at the Cedar Valley, Veteran Resource Fair on Wednesday, November 8th, from 10AM-2PM.  The College has invited more than fifty providers to support this event and provide access to a wealth of resources for Veterans.

Resource Fairs provide a great opportunity to network and collect a vast amount of information in one location. These fFairs place the services many Veterans need right at their fingertips and most providers are able to answer questions and provide vital information on the spot.

Often times Resource Fairs are overlooked, the perception is that the services will always be there; and thereby, creating a missed opportunity to connect.  The truth is funding is always changing and that means access and/or availability to services is constantly changing.  Don't miss your opportunity to connect to the services you need to succeed.  Make time to visit each provider, collect their contact information and follow up on services you are interested in receiving before they are gone.    

Connecting You Is What We Do: Get Connected! Check our calendar and social media regularly for upcoming resource fairs that regularly provide a one-stop-shop of available Veteran services. 

Texas Veteran Business Summit - Closing Out National Veteran Small Business Week

Women Veterans here's a great opportunity to support your peers and close out National Veteran Small Business Week with a great opportunity to network and secure information to take your business to the next level.

Join Momentum Texas at the Annual Texas Veteran's Business Summit the signature event of their Tex Vet Biz Program. The organizer rave that three hundred veteran entrepreneurs are expected to attend and have the opportunity to listen and learn from fifteen nationally known veteran entrepreneurs.

The Opening Session will feature Robert Kaplan, President, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and the Lunch Keynote will be given by Dr. Larry Hughes, a West Point graduate and Vice President of Franchise Operations for 7-11.

The event will feature a host of female veterans beginning with Kelly Moore, Marine Veteran and motivational speaker who will present the Plenary Session. 

The Explorer session in the morning will feature three Women Veteran Entrepreneurs beginning with the moderator, US Navy Veteran, Naikai Butler, founder of the Hearing Services of North Texas and former DFW Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year 2015. The Explorer track will feature presentations by Sheila Steinmark, US Army Veteran and founder of Marketing Operations Inc,  Tamiko Baily, US Air Force Veteran, founder and CEO of Bailey's Premier Servicesas as well as US Army Veteran, Tania Martin-Marcato, the 2016 Veteran Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch (VEEP) contest winner of $5,000.

Veterans in attendance will once again be able to vote on their telephone at lunch and select the 2017 Veteran Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch (VEEP) contest winner, who will receive a $5,000 prize. The event price includes a continental breakfast and lunch.

Connecting You Is What We Do: Get Connected! - Learn more about Momentum Texas Inc and their entrepreneur programs at http://www.momentumtexas.org/

Momentum Texas, Inc. A 501(C) non profit helping returning veterans start a business, job training, and access to capital to grow their business.

he Tex Vet Biz Program empowers veterans who wish to start or grow a business by providing them entrepreneurship training programs to increase their chance of success.  In the last 5 years MTI has trained over 2,000 veterans throughout Texas under the Tex Vet Biz Program and its predecessor the DFW Veterans Business Assistance Program.  MTI training options include a 5 day "Jump Start Your Business" course developed by the Kauffman Foundation; 1 day entrepreneurship boot camps focused on management, marketing, and money; and 1 day business summits in three major cities with a plenary session, a luncheon speaker and two concurrent sessions with 3 tracks for startup businesses, emerging business owners and major contractors.

Celebrating National Veteran Small Business Week

Did you know, it was just three years ago, when we celebrated the first National Veterans Small Business Week, November 3-7, 2014. On November 7, as part of the first National Veterans Small Business Week, then First Lady Michelle Obama appeared on a special episode of ABC’s Emmy Award-winning “Shark Tank,” featuring veteran entrepreneurs and their business ideas. The Big Idea concepts has continued each year on a smaller scale, but still supporting Veteran entrepreneurship.

This year, we are celebrating National Veterans Small Week, Oct. 30 through Nov. 3, 2017.  The U.S. Small Business Administration's theme "Moments that Matter" has taken form as local, regional and national programs gear-up to honor, support and celebrate Veteran entrepreneurs. Click here to find and Register for a MyVetBiz event near you.

In the post below issed by the SBA, they outline this year's strategy, their commitment to Veteran entrepreneurs and opportunities to connect in your area.  Connecting You Is What We Do: Get Connected! Take advantage of these unique opportunities to recognize and support veteran owned businesses.

SBA Celebrates National Veterans Small Business Week 2017 Oct. 30 through Nov. 3

Release Date: 

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Release Number: 17-66

Contact: Carol Chastang (202) 205-6987

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration will celebrate veteran, service member, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouse entrepreneurs during National Veterans Small Business Week, Oct. 30-Nov. 3.

“Veteran-owned businesses are a critical pillar of the U.S. economy as they contribute more than $1.14 trillion to the nation’s annual total sales and receipts,” SBA Administrator Linda McMahon said. “Through entrepreneurship and business ownership, these veterans continue their service by not only contributing to the economy, but also by creating economic opportunities for other Americans. The moments that matter for veteran entrepreneurs matter to us as well, and SBA is proud to celebrate, honor, and support them.”

Throughout the week, SBA district offices, resource partners, and local communities across the U.S. will host local and virtual events focused on access to capital, federal and commercial procurement opportunities, and entrepreneurial training. From Boots to Business and Boots to Business Reboot courses to webinars and workshops, there will be various opportunities to participate in NVSBW 2017.

On Nov. 2 at 3 p.m. EDT, SBA will host a Twitter chat, “Business Tips for Veteran Entrepreneurs.” Tune in to the conversation by using the hashtag #MyVetBiz.

“From officially opening a business to making a revenue goal, there are so many moments that matter during a veteran’s entrepreneurship journey,” said Barb Carson, Associate Administrator for SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development. “This year’s NVSBW is such an exciting opportunity for SBA to celebrate these moments that matter while highlighting the ways SBA is here to support each incredible journey.”

NVSBW 2017 will also feature two events in Houston and Miami, respectively, focused on disaster assistance for local veteran-owned small businesses affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. At these events, SBA will connect VOSBs with local resources and share information on SBA’s disaster assistance program to help these companies rebuild, and develop a business continuity plan.

SBA encourages veterans, service members, Reserve and National Guard members, and military spouses to share the moments that matter during their journey in business ownership using #MyVetBiz, joining SBA and local stakeholders in the ongoing online conversation.

For more information about NVSBW, including events and ways to get involved, visit www.sba.gov/myvetbiz. For more information on the resources available for veteran entrepreneurs, visit www.sba.gov/ovbd.

Breakfast with a Banker - Summer Series

Our Summer Series of "Breakfast with a Banker" offered the opportunity for women Veteran entrepreneurs to join an early morning informal conversation about business banking. They had the opportunity to lead these conversations by bringing their most intimate concerns related to building financial relationships and identifying/securing the right financial support for their business.

We launched this series with our partners at Legacy Texas, a commercially oriented, North Texas community bank serving local entrepreneurs, businesses and families for more than 60 years. With over $8 billion in assets and 44 locations in 19 North Texas cities, they are one of the largest locally based banks in the area.

While their numbers are significant, their customer relationships are even more important. Demonstrating a consistent belief in their customers': goals, dreams, and ambitions for tomorrow.

Since 1952, Legacy Texas has been doing whatever it takes to support their customers as they advance in business and life. Take this opportunity to sit across the table and have an intimate conversation about the importance of developing a productive banking relationship for you and your business.

Connecting you is what we do and this was first of a series of partner connections brought to you by the Veteran Women's Enterprise Center.  Breakfast with a Banker will launch again January 2018, get connected now to receive early registration notices: 

GET CONNECTED!

(The Legacy Texas overview is compiled from their website data at https://www.legacytexas.com/about/index.html)

Groundbreaking Ceremony & Women Veterans Day 2017 Celebration

Southern Dallas is no stranger to making history, but this year’s historical events are especially significant as the groundbreaking for the first Women Veterans' Enterprise Center is accompanied by the first Women Veterans Day celebration, being held at the Veterans Resource Center (VRC) in southern Dallas (4900 South Lancaster Road).

This full day of activities, will kick-off at 8:00 a.m., with the official Groundbreaking Ceremony featuring an overview of the Center, testimonies from female Veteran business owners and statements of support from political, corporate and community leaders. The Center will host the Women Veteran and Small Business Luncheon highlighting their respective contributions to their industries and communities. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. and the program will commence promptly at 12:00 p.m.

The day will end on a high note, with a Women Veterans Day Reception, commemorating this first annual event in the State of Texas acknowledging the June 12, 1948, "Women's Armed Services Integration Act," which enabled women to serve as permanent, regular members of the Armed Forces. This day provides a dedicated time to educate, validate and celebrate the contribution of women Veterans.

Our female Veterans have served our country with honor and now it’s time for us to serve them! You can be a part of this historic event, setting the stage for Women Veterans Day 2018, which will mark the 70th Anniversary of the, "Women's Armed Services Integration Act."

You don’t want to miss this day to remember as history is made in southern Dallas.