From the NFRW Armed Services Committee

March is Women’s History Month, but the Armed Services Committee would like you to think of it as NFRW Women Veterans Month!  NFRW has many female veteran members scattered throughout the clubs. Some of these women are retired, and some only did a few years, but they all volunteered to serve their country.

Some of these veterans came in when if you weren’t a nurse or admin clerk you were an oddity. Women now make up 16% of the total enlisted strength and 19% of the officer strength; this is a great leap from 1973 when it was only 2% for enlisted and 8% for officers. Women now serve in combat units, and deploy as often as their male counterparts. The Coast Guard has the greatest percentage of women, closely followed by the Air Force; the Navy & Army have approximately the same percentage; the Marines have the least.

Our veteran members are eager to be a part of the Republican Party and able to talk about their beliefs of where our great nation should be going. While in uniform, service members are supposed to be apolitical in public; and they better not express any dissent publicly about their leaders, especially the Commander in Chief. Now they can get involved and speak their minds, even disagree with our political leaders.

So, get to know who your veterans are. Ask them to speak at a meeting and relate a short history of their service – you will find it interesting! Either write an article on your veteran(s) or send the information to the NFRW Armed Services Committee to write and publish. 

On June 12, which is Women Veterans Day -- and at other times, too -- thank these women for the service they provided to our country.