AVOWVolume1Issue12019 : simplebooklet.com

AVOWMagazine com Christina Wilkinson USAF PUBLISHER Sheila L Holmes USAF EDITOR IN CHIEF Erin Trower USAF EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Melissa Washington USN Genevieve Chase USA VR Small USN SPECIAL ADVISORS A MAGAZINE for women veterans by women veterans and for the people who love them Copyright 2019 by AVOW Magazine All rights reserved Contributors Adrienne Evans Quickley USA Danielle Johnson USMC Katie Dwyer USMC Photography Erin Trower Shawna Shouse Photography Kelly Lynn Timothy Alexander White PhotosbyMattingly com Janet Deltuva Ares Emzy Photography Sheila L Holmes Melissa M Garcia Vera Wayne Charlene Spade Jon Endow Cole Kresch CREATIVE TEAM SabreDesign com ART DIRECTION DESIGN LAYOUT The name AVOW and the AVOW logo are trademarks of AVOW Magazine exclusively for the American Veterans Organization of Women Magazine which is published quarterly for women veterans of the United States of America No part of this publication may be reproduced distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means including photocopying recording or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher or in some instances with third party copyright holders For permission requests write to the publisher addressed Attention Permissions Coordinator at the address below Sabre Design Publishing 18737 Back Street 605 Groveland CA 95321 www sabredesign com Proudly published and produced in the United States of America Social Media Facebook com AVOWMagazine O 209 962 0613 F 800 680 6217 E contact AVOWMagazine com 6 www AVOWMagazine com Facebook com AVOWMagazine 7

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I FOUGHT AS A MAN DEBORAH SAMPSON BECAME A HERO OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION WHEN SHE DISGUISED HERSELF AS A MAN AND JOINED THE PATRIOT FORCES Deborah Sampson was born on December 17 1760 in Plympton Massachusetts near Plymouth She was one of seven children born to Jonathan Sampson Jr and Deborah Bradford Sampson While the Sampson family struggled financially it wasn t until after Deborah s father failed to return from a sea voyage that her starving mom was forced to place her and her siblings in different households Five years later at the age of 10 Deborah was bound out as an indentured servant to Deacon Benjamin Thomas a farmer in Middleborough with a large family She completed her indentured servitude when she was 18 years old Sampson was self educated so she was able to work as a teacher in the summers of 1779 and 1780 and she worked as a weaver in winter S 514 IS A BILL CALLED THE DEBORAH SAMPSON ACT AND IS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS 8 THIS BILL IS TO IMPROVE THE BENEFITS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO WOMEN VETERANS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES www AVOWMagazine com During the Revolutionary War in 1782 a 5 8 Deborah Sampson decided to disguise herself as a man and join the Army She initially took the name Timothy Thayer but was discovered right away So rather than retreat back to the life she had come from she changed her name to Robert Shurtliff and mustered into the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment While at West Point New York she was assigned to Captain George Webb s Company of Light Infantry and was given the dangerous task of scouting neutral territory to assess British buildup of men and supplies in Manhattan This is a place that General George Washington was contemplating attack Facebook com AVOWMagazine In June of that same year Sampson and two sergeants led about 30 infantrymen on an expedition that ended with a confrontation She had multiple accomplishments including leading a raid on a Tory home where her troops captured 15 men During the siege of Yorktown she dug trenches helped storm a British redoubt and endured canon fire For over two years Sampson s true gender had continue to escape detection Then she received a gash in her forehead from a sword and was also shot in her left thigh Because of the bullet injury she feared being exposed She begged soldiers to leave her to die but they refused and took her to a surgeon She was able to slip out of the field hospital and she removed the bullets with a penknife on her own About a year and a half into her service in Philadelphia she became very sick and was taken to a hospital Soon after she became unconcious This was the moment her true gender was discovered She ended up receiving an honorable discharge on October 23 1783 In 1785 Deborah married Benjamin Gannet from Sharon Massachusetts and they had three children Earl Mary and Patience The story of Deborah s life was written in 1797 by Herman Mann It was entitled The Female Review or Memoirs of an American Young Lady She ultimately received a military pension from the state of Massachusetts for her service Although Sampson s life after the Army was very typical of a farmer s wife she began a year long lecture tour in 1802 about her experiences Sometimes she dressed in full military regalia Portrait of Deborah Sampson by Joseph Stone 1797 She received disability from her time in the military and four years after her death on April 29 1827 her husband petitioned Congress for spousal pay of being married to a soldier Although they were not married at the time of her service in 1837 the committee concluded that the history of the Revolution furnished no other similar example of female heroism fidelity and courage So her husband was eventually awarded support money but he died before receiving it The family was too poor to pay for a headstone and the Gannett s gravesite in Sharon s Rock Ridge Cemetery was unmarked until the 1850s or 1860s At first her gravestone was noted only as Deborah Wife of Benjamin Gannett but many years later someone carved in her headstone Deborah Sampson Gannett Robert Shurtliff The Female Soldier 9

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CAPTURING MOMENTS IN TIME BY CHRISTINA WILKINSON PRESIDENT OBAMA S INAUGURATION ON SET OF TRANSFORMERS GOING TO COLLEGE AND BEING A MOM Erin Trower is very unassuming she s that country girl who grew up in Monterey California and was a member of 4 H but she s also that world traveler who didn t know what she originally wanted from life with the intention of studying criminal justice and communications but I basically ended up just taking random classes and I really couldn t figure out what I wanted to do I had no motivation or passion about just one thing As we spoke she told me she is currently attending college She is set to graduate in the fall with her Bachelor s degree in social science She admitted that she didn t want to continue to go to school at that time and wanted to find something that was challenging and outside of her comfort level Her mom suggested the military but that was a career path in which Erin never saw herself pursuing Eventually she reconsidered the military because it was a way to serve her community and her country It also had a bigger impact in her life First she visited an Army recruiter as she had no idea where to start in the process Soon after she went to a female Air Force recruiter and felt an immediate connection with the recruiter A photography job offer came through and Erin accepted it Erin was officially going to be a military photographer I am pursuing my Master s degree in sociology with an emphasis in education she said SET PHOTOGRAPHER Erin s dream is to teach sociology and behavioral science at a university level but she wants to do it as a stay at home mom She is excited about her ability to teach others online after she graduates This is a huge change from the woman who served in the U S Air Force for 6 5 years and has already traveled the world Erin shared with me how she decided to join military Erin Trower with actor Josh Duhamel in England on the set of Transformers She flew in with the H 60 Pavehawks that were being used in the film 10 I went to Columbia College in Sonora California and I was just taking general education classes she explained I moved to Huntington Beach After Basic Military Training at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland Texas she began technical school at Fort Meade Maryland Once she graduated her classmates began to disperse to their various assignments some overseas while others stayed stateside To Erin s surprise she was assigned to Joint Base Andrews Maryland just a mere 45 minutes down the road PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN TROWER 11

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ERIN TROWER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN TROWER photography PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN TROWER from her technical school At first she didn t realize the importance of her assignment at JBA but she quickly realized how many doors it would open for her Her first presidential support mission allowed her to be involved in President Obama s inauguration as part of the Public Affairs office Throughout the next year she took a multitude of photos of President Obama but she never got to meet him before the Air Force whisked her away on an overseas assignment 12 www AVOWMagazine com Erin shared with me about a time during her three years at Royal Air Force Lakenheath England when she went on a private plane with British photographers I was taking photos of F 15s traveling from RAF Lakenheath to the Royal International Air Tattoo one of the largest airshows in the world she told me This experience is one that I will cherish and remember for the rest of my life It was amazing seeing these jets in flight and so close up Facebook com AVOWMagazine The humorous part of her encounters with F 15s was when she told me she once went to a temporary duty assignment in Estonia and found out only a couple of days prior that she would be flying in one of them I really didn t want to go up mainly because I was very nervous and was not the best flyer but close friends encouraged me to conquer my fears so I did she said with excitement in her voice I m very happy I did it as it was a once in a lifetime opportunity During her time in England she was also on the set of the film Transformers The Last Knight where she interacted with actors Sir Anthony Hopkins and Josh Duhamel Erin also met comedian Rob Riggle as well as country singer Kelly Pickler during a USO tour Her final duty station was at Barksdale Air Force Base Louisiana where Erin was assigned to the Eighth Air Force Public Affairs office She explained that it is a WWII born unit so she interacted with WWII 13

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN TROWER THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR WALKIN BY CHRISTINA WILKINSON veterans on a regular basis Erin told me about a story she covered on an Airman who lost his dog tags in England during WWII They were found more than 70 years later and shipped back to Barksdale By sheer coincidence this WWII veteran lived just two hours away Maj Gen Thomas Bussiere the then Eighth Air Force commander visited the assisted living facility and presented the veteran with his dog tags maternity wedding and family photos She has also dipped her toes into real estate photography Her husband Thomas is currently an Air Force technical sergeant and is an instructor for the Defense Information School where he teaches all branches of the military the basics of public affairs They welcomed their first child Gracelyn into the world 15 months ago This was one of the most humbling experiences I have ever witnessed and I feel so blessed to have been a part of it Erin stated Life is different now but I look at the Air Force as a part of my story rather than a piece of me that is now missing Erin said I am forever grateful for all the experiences I had and for the people whom I met who helped shape me and influence me You all forever changed my life Erin left the Air Force less than a year ago but photography still plays a huge part of her life When she isn t doing schoolwork she takes 14 www AVOWMagazine com TAKE A JOURNEY IN THE SHOES OF KELLY LYNN AND SEE THE IMPACT OF HER ART ON FELLOW VETERANS Kelly Lynn was like most of us in the military as an E 4 in the Marines she was simply trying to find her way around to some sort of place yet she had no idea what place that even was While she wasn t the lowest ranking member she wasn t quite an NCO Kelly admits she was very shy and sensitive as a young woman So when asked her about the name she chose for her well known artwork The Transition she responded I have always felt like a girly girl because I did pageants and things like that She continued So I felt like my feminine identity was getting lost in the Marines and I had to put that identity away while I was serving my country I felt like I needed to turn it on then turn it off all the time but it felt like the Marines just wanted me to turn it off completely This is the story of how Kelly s artwork The Transition was born Facebook com AVOWMagazine 15

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Like everyone coming out of the military Kelly wasn t sure what to expect when she became a civilian so she set out to become an art teacher She was approved to teach art for 7th graders as an expert in her field allowing her to teach without a teaching certification During this time she also led community beautification projects and got kids involved in painting murals Her enjoyment of the arts extended into volunteering which is why she decided to check out a local art center Soon she started teaching full time at this art center In finding out more about the history of her artwork Kelly told me that she initially created The Transition in the year 2003 She officially exited the Marines in 2014 after 14 years of service and she retired from the Army Reserve in 2018 During her time at Parris Island she had been going through her personal items and came across a boot and heel sketch she had done that would later become The Transition Kelly was always drawing and painting so she decided to redraw a fresh and updated copy of the artwork for herself It took her approximately 20 hours to complete Once it was completed pictures of her updated artwork were shared with family and friends Many of these folks started sharing The Transition and asking about getting a copy of it for themselves or as a gift for someone She said It all just grew from there One person asked me to add a tattoo on the artwork so I did and I was happy with how it turned out she told me and continued to share That s where personalization started She admits to starting an Etsy page but couldn t keep up with the demand so she shut it down to regroup I am just one person drawing each of these pieces so it takes a lot of time she told me After strategizing on how to make the artwork easier to produce she decided to add anchors and other symbolism to her artwork ahead of time This allows her to have something ready when she receives an order Kelly recently had a meeting with with the military clothing company Nine Line and they are going to be producing 4 different versions of t shirts with her artwork You could hear the excitement in her voice as she said that she gets to approve the final art for the t shirts Kelly says confidently today I can wear combat boots and I can wear heels and I shouldn t have to give either of them up She added that when she realized this I said to myself this represents my transition and that part of me is still there Above A newly completed mural by Kelly Left While serving in the Army Reserve Kelly painted this flag mural One of Kelly Lynn s renditions of The Transition in pencil She currently works on her art and travels to multiple locations presenting The Transition to other veterans 16 www AVOWMagazine com Facebook com AVOWMagazine 17

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TO ERR IS HUMAN TO FORGIVE CANINE BY CHRISTINA WILKINSON and ERIN TROWER SHE S A SECURITY FORCES MEMBER WHOSE JOB HAS GONE COMPLETELY TO THE DOGS With a dream of going into military security forces as a K 9 handler U S Air Force Staff Sergeant Melissa Garcia s dream came true only a few years into her career Melissa s three personal dogs From left to right Aria Layla and Luka Early in my career I was fortunate to have a great mentor in a female a Technical Sergeant who taught me everything as an Airman Melissa said I have had nothing but great positive experiences with the men in my field too Her parents are originally from Mexico and now citizens of the United States She grew up playing soccer on multiple teams and leagues so soccer allowed her to gain a scholarship right out of high school to attend a local college After about a year of college she said I felt stuck and I wasn t going anywhere My uncle was a Marine and I have a cousin who was in the Navy So the military is a huge thing for my family to give back to this country Her family urged her to consider military service in which she pursued Military Working Dog Goten with handler Melissa Garcia JANET 18 DELTUVA ARES EMZY PHOTOGRAPHY www AVOWMagazine com After four years of service Melissa was notified of her new K 9 assignment while stationed in Sicily She has been a Military Working Dog MWD handler now for three years Meeting her dog for the first time was bitter sweet The official name of her dog is MWD Goten but is referred to as Goten Named before Melissa met him Goten is named after a Dragon Ball Z character He is a five year old German shepherd Melissa is his first handler and he is the only dog she has ever worked with Facebook com AVOWMagazine He is like a Sourpatch Kid he has a temper but can be really sweet She stated We are both continually getting to know each other He is an alpha type dog and I am an alpha too so it is interesting teaching him that I am the boss All MWDs stay at a kennel on base Someone takes care of each dog 24 7 making sure they get the highest care possible from nutrition to exercise and health care Melissa just got back from a 6 month deployment where Goten actually lived with her in her room due to lack of boarding for her dog Coming back and transitioning was difficult It was weird not having him around Melissa said Melissa has her own pack at home Luka a golden retriever mix Lay la a mix breed and Aria a German shepherd but u n f o r t u n a t e l y Goten will never get to meet the other three While Goten is considered social Melissa explains that she completely understands why they keep the MWDs separate with them around people and other animals too Melissa said Sometimes jobs like Melissa s take you to places and events that most folks don t get invited to At a Hurricane Harvey fundraiser in College Station at Texas A M University she was among all five living presidents at the time Handlers from Lackland were there and Obama passed right in front of us and we just wanted to say Hi she said in a giddy voice But Secret Service stopped us We knew better but we still attempted to reach out After her military service she may use her bilingual skills in pursuit of a job in Border Patrol but for now she is enjoying keeping life simple living with and working with canines Because they are government property and trained to attack we have to be cautious 19

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MY JOURNEY WITH CANCER BY CHRISTINA WILKINSON WHILE THIS IS JOSIE S THIRD BATTLE WITH CANCER SHE REQUESTED TO FEATURE ONLY TWO DUE TO HOW LONG AGO THE FIRST ONE WAS RESOLVED Josie Holly grew up in the desert in the little town of Truth or Consequences New Mexico Little did she know that growing up in a desert didn t mean that water wouldn t play a huge part of her future She served for eight years active duty Navy and two years with the Naval Reserve The beginning of Josie s military career had her stationed on a submarine tender This meant she took care of subs when they came into port Her job entailed supplying groceries clothing and fuel as part of her duties in port Once in a while Josie said they would go out to sea so she saw the likes of Florida Yorktown and even Canada She was seaman when she first enlisted and she was a supply petty officer for three divisions After a bit she became a radioman As a radioman she worked directly with classified messages she had the highest top secret clearance one can have in the military Her duties included hand typing OCR messages and she was also responsible for getting them from point A to point B Josie went in for her yearly GYN appointment and a Naval Reservist who was working at the time checked her thoroughly It was then that he felt a lump in Josie s neck and he sent her for a thyroid screening Nothing showed up with x rays so she was told to come back if anything changed In just six months a nodule in her throat had become so big she couldn t swallow Josie then had a needle biopsy done on her thyroid Then the news came she was stationed in Groton Connecticut at the time so she was sent to Bethesda Maryland and that s where she found out she officially had thyroid cancer Surgery and RAI took place on July 8th in 1991 She s been in remission since that time doctor said he likes what he doesn t see She praises the VA in Albuquerque New Mexico and says they are watching her consistently Every three months she has to go in to adjust meds I am getting great care and I feel that I am very lucky she said confidently She continued with I get pain with my nerves my taste buds have changed and my voice is very gravelly due to my damaged vocal chords Oh and I also lost two front teeth on bottom they turned black from the salivary gland cancer radiation Even with all that she is going through she added I really feel like autoimmune disorders are more difficult to contend with than my cancer Josie said that her brother James is her rock as she continues battling this rare cancer Fast forward to March 2017 this is when she found out she has salivary gland cancer Only a small percentage of people have this type of rare cancer so she has no idea how she got it or if it is even connected to her thyroid cancer Radiation treatments were done wearing a mask that made her look like Jason from the movie Friday the 13th She was latched to a board in the mask so she couldn t move Twenty eight treatments were done this way for 20 to 30 minutes each Josie said It was very claustrophobic and continued with I was not allowed to dye my hair while going through radiation but now I have this cool gray hair color and everyone always asks me about it She was told that they caught the cancer early but she cannot say she is in remission yet because it must be over five years For now Josie said My Facebook com AVOWMagazine 21

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SHEILA L HOLMES DANIELLE JOHNSON MICHELLE CLARK KATIE DWYER COLE KRESCH BY SHEILA HOLMES Sirens attending the 911 Memorial Ride in New York City graduation I attended Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center learning Arabic language culture and area studies During my schooling I had to decide whether I d undergo reconstructive surgery and continue serving or separate from the service Upon graduation from DLI I cross trained into photography SHEILA L HOLMES How Long I ve Been Riding 12 years My Ride Indian Chieftan Dark Horse Why I Bought It Loved the blacked out look Military Branch U S Air Force I began riding motorcycles at nine years old on a ranch in New Mexico I have always found a joy in riding until one day a tragic accident took that joy away from me when I flipped a three wheeler While away being treated motorcycles quietly disappeared from our family and my hopes of owning a roaring Harley slowly faded I never really thought of riding again Hi I m Sheila nine years after my accident I entered the U S Air Force and celebrated my 18th birthday while attending Basic Military Training during Operation Enduring Freedom Upon 22 I was enjoying my time serving but the thoughts of owning that roaring Harley still remained in the back of my mind So 25 years later I finally took a rider safety course bought a Harley 883C and put 43k miles on it in four years That bike and I had a love hate relationship but eventually I outgrew it I recently found a soul mate in a man who rode by my side Phillip We traded in our Harleys for Indians and had a dream motorcycle steampunk wedding in June of 2016 In support of his fraternal organization Stroudsburg PA Eagle Riders 1106 I joined his riding group and I am the Web Director for the Rollin Fast Indian Motorcycle Riders Group Chapter 2003 we both belong to Sheila www AVOWMagazine com After dropping out of the veteran scene for 15 years I recovered my esteem for having served with support of my husband who rejoined the Sons of the American Legion Post 9 so that we could become members of the Legion Riders I have recently become an active Legionnaire We are members of the Legion Honor Guard and I m also engaging with Women s Auxiliary My goal is to make a positive impact in the veteran community in particular within Women Veterans Communities I enjoy photographing my Legion s and our various riding groups activities I m always working to connect human community resources to bring the love of riding as therapy to other women and veterans and to share how the positive impact of veteran volunteer organizations and motorcycle riding as therapy can bring otherwise isolated community members together Phillip and I are working together to manage the Eastern PA Ride for Kids in support of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation I finally found my home with the Sirens Women s Motorcycle Club out of NYC a club well known for its intense pride and focused CONTINUED on next page support on women s health issues Facebook com AVOWMagazine 23

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MICHELLE CLARK How Long I ve Been Riding 1 5 years My Ride 2012 Dyna Switchback My Favorite Place to Ride Along the beach Military Branch Marine Corps I d like to introduce you to Danielle a fellow Siren and U S Marine Corps veteran Danielle recounts that it was a toss up between her 750 Ninja or Versys for her first ride and though she try a Vulcan she felt the dealer was too eager to sell at too high an interest rate She described how the third dealer she went to was straight up front on what he was willing to sell a new rider and she liked that and with red being her favorite color Bingo She ended up with a Red 950 V Star DANIELLE JOHNSON How Long I ve Been Riding 8 years My Ride Yamaha VStar 950 Why I Bought It Recommended by dealer for a new rider and my favorite color red My Favorite Place to Ride Back country roads Military Branch Marine Corps Clubs Tier Rats MC NY Sirens MC NYC 24 She became a Corrections Officer Nov 10 1986 coincidentally the same year as the Corps birthday Danielle was a war film buff and states she enlisted in the Reserves simply for the experience of challenging herself to accomplish boot camp She became a Ground Mobile Forces Satellite Communicator and the Company s Training Staff NCO Her first promotional exam to the rank of Captain was missed was while she was in boot camp Eventually she left because her service in the Corps was interfering with promotional ranking of her civilian job When she returned the department did not allow her to take the exam because she had not submitted an application Four years later the same exam opened up and she applied but was activated for Desert Storm Desert Shield www AVOWMagazine com Danielle On Monday prior to her return on a Thursday she received a card in the mail to report for the exam without study material or on the job training However her make up exam was denied because the make up exams were only honored for active duty personnel After waiting another eight years for the city to post another exam she ranked 50 out of 800 applicants and made Captain Two years later she took the Warden Level I exam and was again on the waiting list when she received word that her unit was being activated She simply could not risk losing out again after 15 years waiting to move up in rank while her peers were already Chiefs and had other career advancements Danielle states that besides annual summer ATDs and Desert Shield Desert Storm under which she received a Combat Action Ribbon among several others something very few women did back then She also participated in several active duty NATO exercises in Norway and Egypt Facebook com AVOWMagazine I had the pleasure of speaking with Michelle for about an hour and a half We connected in several areas from being young teens on scooters to our first motorcycles being Sportsters Michelle shared her first riding mishap at the age of 12 or 13 when she became fixated on the backyard fence and rode straight through it suffering leg burns from the muffler She s come a long way from those early days to recently attending Rolling Thunder a riding event in Washington D C I could hear the reverence in her voice as it broke while she recounted the amazing sight of people lined on the sides of the road Michelle rides a 2012 FLD Dyna Switchback She described the motorcycle as a touring motorcycle with a quick release windshield and ape hangers It s her third bike in the short year and a half she s been riding since November 2017 as she quickly outgrew her Sportster then lost her 2016 Dyna to Hurricane Florence While she s been displaced from her home by the hurricane losing all her military photos uniforms awards and letters she still had time to share her concern for a fellow Marine who has also been displaced an older purple heart veteran that she plans on tracking down to hopefully share camaraderie in the difficult post storm times She took the time to acknowledge 25

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KATIE DWYER How Long I ve Been Riding 5 years My Ride 2016 Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 883 My Favorite Place to Ride Along the beach Military Branch Marine Corps Michelle how thankful she was for the many people from her Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society that have helped her come as far as she has since the storm This former Marine is a self taught rider first venturing out in her neighborhood then a mile further then 5 miles and so on She decided to join the local New Bern Chapter HOG Chapter 3528 The Chapter That Rides and not only became the group s secretary but also their webmaster who works with their social media Michelle credits her HOG chapter with helping her to venture out on longer rides and has racked up approximately ten thousand miles in two years Katie is someone I had the pleasure of meeting while I was on a Marines Toys for Tots run She has a young daughter with complex medical conditions Her command an ultimatum to either mother her child and be there for her daughter s various appointments and specialist visits after her open heart surgery or she could be a Marine they were no longer going to allow her to be both Katie made the decision to leave the service Katie Katie rides without club association and her favorite place to ride is along the beach to clear her mind When I asked Michelle about her history in the Marines as an Avionics Technician on F A 18s from 1994 2001 she shared that one of her best experiences was getting to fly in a McDonnell Douglas KC 10 Extender over the pacific trailing F A 18s over from Japan to Australia and taking photos of the F A 18s being refueled We chatted for quite some time about a shared interest in joining the American Legion Riders several social media riding groups and how the love of riding becomes just the wind therapy needed in otherwise troubling times MOTORCYCLE PHOTO BY PHOTOSBYMATTINGLY COM 26 Michelle shared with me that she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis MS This means she has to keep her body cool and despite this huge barrier she still managed to get down to Rolling Thunder and survive the heat of Washington DC She planned to be well hydrated several days prior to leaving and made sure she used cooling rags and drank Gatorade and lots of water www AVOWMagazine com As you can see women are shifting gears in motorcycle culture and and these are just a small handful of veteran women and women in general who enjoy riding So whether it s for a new independence adventure freedom a spiritual connection confidence or sense of community women are riding motorcycles as a norm with an increased contentment Facebook com AVOWMagazine 27

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MOTORCYCLE CLUBS Leather and Lace MC GRIPsters Oregon Washington Established in 1983 the Leather Lace was created to bring women together who have a serious interest in motorcycling and in making a difference in the lives of others Upon this foundation the women of Leather Lace Motorcycle Club have built a strong sisterhood Not only do they share the wind and the roads they also share an unwavering purpose and spirituality Though the miles may separate them they remain together as one International Motorcycle Club leatherandlacemc com The GRIPsters or Girls Riding Independently Proud are spread out between Oregon and Washington They re open to any woman motorcyclist joining as long as you can attend the Portland meetings which occur First Wednesday of every month at 6 30 pm gripsters com Chrome Angelz RC Worldwide Chrome Angelz RC started in 2011 with one chapter in New Jersey and actively recruited in 2014 to grow to over 65 chapters across the US Canada South Africa and Europe They support women motorcycle riders promote safety and encourage chapters to help their local communities chromeangelzrcnationals com Femme Fatales WMC Ohio Emerson and Hoops two friends and riders co founded the Femme Fatales WMC in 2011 They recognized that there was a lack of women s motorcycle clubs in Ohio so they decided to give women riders in the state a chance to gather together femmefataleswmc com Xtreme Vixens MC Nevada Although Las Vegas is known for its crazy entertainment the city didn t have any sanctioned motorcycle groups with just women riders until Nina came along in 2006 and created the Xtreme Vixens MC The club became such a beloved institution that it in 2008 it created a California chapter While the group once only allowed for sports bikes as of 2012 any and all motorcycles are welcome xvmcnorcal com Free Spirit Chapter Michigan Boasting more than 70 members as of this writing the Free Spirit Chapter has been a Michigan mainstay since 1995 Washtenaw Wayne Livingston Macomb and Oakland County women riders all gather for monthly meetings and regular rides freespiritchapter com 28 Diva Angels Inc Florida Nonprofit Diva Angels Inc has both local chapters and a national chapter You can find branches near you in Tampa Bay Pasco and more You can either join by sending mail to the group or save time by applying online The women request that you show up to one of their chapter meetings before applying though so you can get a feel for how you ll fit in divaangels org Smokin Curvz MC Virginia Inspired by another Virginia motorcycle club called Bloc Burnaz MC Smokin Curvz MC was founded in 2010 The women are dedicated to making Fredericksburg a better place through charitable acts We believe actions speak louder than words and are ready to prove that we can ride with the big boys cook the meals take care of the kids uplift our community and still look fabulous the group pledges smokincurvzmc com com Missouri Women on Wheels Women of all skill levels and ages are encouraged to participate which has led to the development of chapters throughout Missouri including Ladies of the Roubidoux Golden Valley Girls Lady Road Runners Lady Cruisers of the Ozarks the Heartland Chapter and the Show Me Riders The group is currently filling its 2016 calendar and is welcomes new members mowow org Sirens MC NYC The oldest largest women s motorcycle club in NYC Founded in 1986 our current membership is over 40 women Four or five original members rode in NYC s Gay Pride Parade for the first time in June of 1986 The following year 25 30 Sirens organized and negotiated with HOP to lead the Pride Parade in 1987 and we ve been leading it ever since The Sirens have been joined in the Pride Parade over the years by independent riders and clubs from near and far sirensnyc com www AVOWMagazine com Women in the Wind Devil Dolls MC California Unite women motorcyclists with friends of common interest Promote a positive image to the public of women on motorcycles Educate members on motorcycle safety and maintenance womeninthewind org This organization prides itself on having a very diverse membership From old school bikers rebels and rockers to community activists moms and professionals the Devil Dolls MC is a family with a common love for riding motorcycles They are solid members of the MC Community and regularly participate in and donate to various benefits fund raisers and other types of philanthropic based MC events Sisters Eternal Women s MC Sisters Eternal Women s Motorcycle Club WMC is a neutrally chartered club with the American Motorcyclists Association and are recognized as professional family friendly fair and legitimate by communities participants and the motorcycling industry sisterseternalwmc com Furies MC Illinois The Furies MC are named after mythological creatures in Greek and Roman history These goddesses who made their home in the underworld would punish all crime both personal and those made by society TThe women have monthly meetings and participate in annual rides including Ride to Work Day International Female Ride Day and the Chicagoland Toys for Tots Motorcycle Parade furiesmc com Lost Girls MC California Having donated nearly 90 000 towards breast cancer treatment over the past 11 years the Lost Girls MC are a mainstay in Visalia and always host their annual Lost Girls Breast Cancer Ride Continue to support their valiant efforts by purchasing a patch on their website or by donating to the Girls lostgirlsmc com Curve Unit California Curve Unit is a social organization dedicated to the progress growth and livelihood of female motorcycle riders We fully support safe responsible riding and encourage positive development within the female riding family Our members strive to improve surrounding communities by way of annual charity events and widespread community service efforts curveunit com Guilty Girlz RC Michigan With five chapters throughout the state in Detroit Grand Rapids Tecumseh Mt Pleasant and Lansing the Guilty Girlz RC truly live by their slogan Be guilty of your passion The group established in 2010 is a part of the Michigan Confederation of Clubs as the first of its kind guiltygirlzrc org Facebook com AVOWMagazine We are a nomad charter known as the Wild West with members from Washington to Southern California and everywhere in between We also have a sister charter in Sweden devildollsmc com Tenacious Dames RC Montana A nonprofit that s always welcoming new members Tenacious Dames RC also has chapters in Bozeman Miles City Great Falls and Billings Women in the group aren t limited by age some are in their 20s some are in their 60s and still wild skill level or location members live in Kalispell Butte Helena and elsewhere The women in this group all obey this credo Women empowering women through the love of riding tenaciousdames com Femme Fatales MC Alabama Based on a love of riding giving back to the community and empowering each other this is what drives us We work with many different non profit organizations Our main focus is to help support both Women and Children in our local Countries Cities and Communities Our commitment to each other and to the club is strong forthright unyielding and can survive the trials and tribulations of life femmefataleswmc com Asphalt Angels MC Utah The Asphalt Angels MC always ride safely insisting that you never ride faster than your angels can fly This group founded in 2013 supports organizations and charities in the St George area often volunteering and riding in fundraisers and other events Facebook com pg AsphaltAngelsMc 29

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Representative Victoria Naeve in pink with some women veterans of Texas ON JUNE 12 1948 PRESIDENT HARRY S TRUMAN SIGNED INTO LAW THE WOMEN S ARMED SERVICES INTEGRATION ACT ALLOWING WOMEN TO SERVE AS REGULAR MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY In the fall of 2014 women from the Women s Army Corps Veterans Association WACVA Chapter 94 based in Killeen Texas and newly formed Texas Women Veterans TWV of Houston Texas began working together to try and work on collaboration for Women s issues not being addressed by the State Legislature in Texas or being addressed throughout the Veterans Administration hospitals throughout Texas Officially women veterans were already being acknowledged in the State of Texas during a week in the month of March however few knew or acknowledged this period which was overshadowed by Women History Month Then the date of June 12th was proposed for its major signifi 32 Veteran women attendees supporting the official celebration in Dallas City Hall Flag Room in Dallas Texas Dr Elba Garcia Dallas County Commissioner District 4 registering for Women Veterans Day 2018 with veteran women volunteers Phyllis Vaughan and Tracy Harris cance June 12 1948 is when the Women s Armed Services Integration Act law was signed by President Truman This law permitted women to serve as full members of the U S armed forces in all of the branches This Act basically cracked open the door for women to be recognized as members of the military but it limited how many women could serve in the military which was capped at two percent of the total armed forces The families of these women who served didn t get benefits like the men s families only the women serving received personal benefits Even though women were not allowed in combat they were already fighting and dying in unofficial combat positions www AVOWMagazine com WACVA members began visiting State Legislatures soliciting support for female Veterans while attending all of the Roll Call events throughout Texas coordinated by Texas Veterans Commission s Women Program Coordinator Members of WACVA Yvonne Anthony Harrell Liaison and Adrienne Evans Quickley returned numerous times to solicit support from legislators for a day designated for female veteran awareness and to testify Acquanetta Pullins also accompanied and testified on issues of significance Eventually in April 2015 the groups met at the Capital for a roundtable discussion about unmet needs of Texas female veterans A bus from Houston and WACVA 94 members rallied to seek support WACVA Chapter members Adrienne Evans Quickley Suzanne Lawrence Cheryl Renke Acquanetta Pullins Jeanette Ide Barbara Simpson and Ellie Wright led the Killeen Delegation Lunch was hosted by Senator Boris Miles By early 2016 only five members from Texas women veterans were still in contact The group began to get coordinated communication from Dr LaShondra Jones who was instrumental in keeping everyone informed of issues on the agenda with female veteran interest Facebook com AVOWMagazine VR Small founder executive director of the Veteran Women s Enterprise Center says What I found most surprising is that while there 33

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DR LASHONDRA JONES CAMELLA ANDREWS TRACY LITTLE VR SMALL Catholic Charities Catholic Charities Veteran Women s Enterprise Ctr Veteran Women s Enterprise Ctr She is Marine Corps honorably discharged veteran who served as Vice Chairman of the board for Texas Veteran Commission TVC Funds for Veteran Assistance Recently she accepted an appointment to State Rep Victoria Neave s Sexual Violence Task Force focusing on sexual trauma issues that women veterans face during military service Major retired Andrews served active duty Army and Army National Guard After volunteering as a case manager with Catholic Charities Women Veterans Services she transitioned into being the out reach coordinator She helped to revitalize Trauma to Triumph and the W A V E Campaign was formed Women of the Armed Forces Veterans Empowerment Campaign Retired Master Sgt with the USAF as an Assistant IG at the Army Air Force Exchange Services in Dallas Multiple medals including Outstanding Airman of the Year Ribbon Outstanding Administrator of the Year MAJCOM and Air Force level She serves on various boards including the Veterans Coalition of North Central Texas where she is a founding Member and current Board Chair A Navy veteran she is founder executive director for the VWEC the first of many VWECs projected for Texas and nationally Serving on the Advisory Committee for Texas Woman s University Center for Women in Business VR also serves on the 30th Congressional District Veteran Advisory Committee and Representative Neave s Sexual Violence Task Force MEET SOME OF THE WOMEN VETERANS WHO TESTIFIED TO GET THE BILL PASSED The celebration was attended not only by veterans but political figures and additional supporters from throughout the state of Texas were no appointments made in advance in Austin most of the representatives we visited made time to speak to us Small said she knew from that moment on this was a special moment and good things were going to happen for women veterans Into the year 2017 Representative Victoria Naeve was especially responsive and on board to help the women in any way she could noting she wanted to start a woman veterans advisory committee While the initial bill for Women Veteans Day passed the Texas House of Representatives unanimously with bi partisan support it could not get out of the Committee in the Senate Unfortunately when the bill met with defeat Texas women veterans stopped showing up to help Adrienne Evans Quickley had actually journeyed to the State Capital more than 52 times in three years so the grief was unwavering immediately after the bill failed Katy Womble now Chief Of Staff of Texas House of Representatives said When Dr LaShondra Jones contacted me I let her know the bill was dead in the Senate She continued I had already contacted 34 Senator Lucio to make sure they would be ok with us adding Women Veterans Day onto Senate Bill 805 on as an amendment Katy said that LaShondra s advocacy divinity helped the bill pass the Senate especially after the initial pushback they received So with initial testimonies from Dr LaShondra Jones and WACVA Members Adrienne Evans Quickley Yvonne Anthony Harrell and Acquanetta Pullins along with VR Small and Tracy Little both from the Veteran Women s Enterprise Center which had already planned a 2017 Women Veterans Day Reception the Dallas Crew and some of the Catholic Charities Houston women held on to the end The women soon found out that the bill signed by Governor Abbott on June 9 making Women Veterans Day an official a day to be celebrated annually on June 12th in the State of Texas Perseverance and determination prayers and cooperation resulted in the celebration of the first Women Veterans Day in 2017 at the Veteran Women s Enterprise Center in Dallas attended by women veterans from across the state www AVOWMagazine com ACQUANETTA PULLINS Women s Army Corps Veterans Association She served 20 years active duty working in the Mental Health Field Her civilian career included Program Administrator for Psychosocial Rehabilitation Supported Employment programs and Regional Operations Manager for Senior Assisted Living communities In 2014 she retired as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with the Department of Veterans Affairs Facebook com AVOWMagazine ADRIENNE EVANS QUICKLEY DR YVONNE ANTHONY HARRELL Served 25 years in the Army in a myriad of occupational specialties including Military Police executive assistant and POTUS duties highlighting a career with multiple deployments assignments in live fire areas special missions and several temporary change of stations utilizing her language abilities Post retirement has her volunteering in numerous Veteran and Church organizations Dr Yvonne Anthony DNP RN is a retired United States Public Health Service Captain She has received numerous awards to include the following Army and USPHS commendations Global War on Terrorism Secretary Award for Distinguished Service DHHS the Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation and multiple unit commendations Womens Army Corps Veterans Assoc and Chapter 94 Ft Hood Retiree Council Women s Army Corps Veterans Association 35

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carhartt military discount program CARTERS All APO and FPO shipping addresses free standard shipping applies automatically to orders of 50 or more at checkout Same APO FPO offer applies to orders on Osh kosh B Gosh Carters com CHAMPION Active duty military veterans and their dependents may receive 10 off their order after verifying their military affiliation through Troop ID This offers includes all their brands including Hanes and JustMySize Champion com 36 While we have checked the validity of each of these offers just prior to publishing we recommend that you the consumer contact a business prior to obtaining a discount We are not responsible for errors in company offers CHAMPS SPORTS If you are serving or have served in the US military receive 20 off most purchases upon enrolling in Veterans Advantage champssports com help militarydiscount html JOCKEY Jockey offers a 10 Military discount off the entire purchase for Active Duty Retirees Veterans Military Spouses and Military Family 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discount MOOSEJAW 20 off for military members through id me www moosejaw com NEW YORK COMPANY 30 off in store purchases for military members veterans and their families with Troop ID www nyandcompany com OLD NAVY Receive a 10 discount on your in store purchase at Old Navy on the first of every month This promotion is only valid in stores and you must present a valid military ID during checkout Expires 6 30 19 In store only ORVIS To thank U S Military Veterans Active Duty military National Guard Reserve and their families for their service Orvis is proud to provide Veterans Advantage members a 10 discount on Orvis goods purchased through a special private online shopping link made available at veteransadvantage com Facebook com AVOWMagazine QUIKSILVER 15 online discount to Military servicemembers shop id me stores 777 quiksilver ROXY All active duty reservists National Guard veterans retirees and registered dependents are eligible to receive a 15 discount when shopping through Sheer ID roxy sheerid com RVCA A 15 military discount to active duty reservists through id me Does not apply to gift cards rvca com customer help military program html SPERRY BOAT SHOES CLOTHING Must fill form out at checkout in order to qualify for special offers Offer valid on US orders only Offers are valid at Sperry specialty and outlet locations Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts and does not apply to previous purchases sperry com TORRID Military members receive a 10 discount in Torrid stores or by calling to place an order with a Torrid Personal Shopper U S 1 866 867 7431 Int l 1 626 603 3190 UNDER ARMOUR 10 discount online on the Shop App or present a valid US military ID at any Under Armour store Valid for active duty service members veterans underarmour com UNTUCKIT 25 discount to all members of the United States Armed Forces all Veterans and all Military Family Members untuckit com pages military U S ELITE GEAR U S Elite fully supports the armed forces so we are proud to offer a 10 Duty Call discount on all purchases us elitegear com pages service discount US POLO ASSOCIATION Offers a 10 Military discount off the entire purchase for Active Duty Retirees Veterans Military Spouses Military Family Members uspoloassn com pages military discount WRANGLER 10 discount to Active Military Veterans Retirees Military Spouses and their Immediate Family Members i e parents and children of Veterans are eligible Must be a member of ID Me to participate wrangler com help military discount html 37

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USS MISSOURI AND USS ARIZONA PHOTOS BY SHAWNA SHOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY HONOR TO HAVE SERVED On deck of the USS Missouri BY CHRISTINA WILKINSON By the age of 19 Veronica was an F 14 flight mechanic attached to a fighter squadron serving on the USS Harry S Truman and deployed two weeks after arriving to her new command to replace the battle group with the USS Cole after it s bombing attack in Yemen Veronica was trained as a plane captain during her first deployment where she supervised pre and post flight checks for F 14 flight ops She was transferred to Naval Base Pearl Harbor where she was a part of the Honor Detail at Ford Island for four months Veronica Wayne was born on an Air Force base to a USAF father By the age of 10 she had lived with her family in Langley Virginia Vandenberg Air Force Base in California Ramstein AFB Germany where she had begun to learn German at the age of 8 38 SHE S A BRAT A VETERAN A PIN UP GIRL A FILMMAKER AND OH SO MUCH MORE www AVOWMagazine com Facebook com AVOWMagazine Her participation included details for repatriation military funerals retirements and Pearl Harbor remembrance ceremonies Veronica said MIA patriations and ceremonies on the flightline were the most fulfilling She added When there were no ceremonies this meant everyone spent time practicing in the yard with blanks doing the 21 gun salute and passing flags In explaining various tasks Veronica mentioned that one of the most difficult things was to carry a casket This was because everyone was wearing white gloves which makes it difficult The first time I participated in a burial at sea was for the Utah This ship is located off right hand side of Ford Island she stated It is a pristine dock with placques Veronica said about the Utah You can see the ship under the water but they have to reposition it to keep the channel open because the ship moves around She recalled I was on rifle detail and did not know what to expect at first she 39

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MILITARY HUMOR ABOUT FACE WHOSE PROPERTY IS THIS O I ne year my husband and I were at a family day event on base when a Navy officer came up and informed my husband that even out of uniform male military members are not allowed to wear an earring on base PHOTO BY JON ENDOW Above and Left Veronica Wayne and as a pin up girl Below In a red dress with other pin ups The officer demanded my husband s ID so he could write him up My husband had been playing softball so he did not have his ID on him He told the officer this and that the rule did not apply to him because he was a civilian The officer appeared dumbfounded and in a commanding voice responded with I am an officer and you are out of regs Let me see your ID My husband responded calmly with Sorry but I outrank you The officer was taken aback as my husband said again I am a civilian The frustrated officer continued to badger my husband for his ID so I finally stepped in and told the officer that my husband was not in the military and that I was the military member and I showed my ID At that time I realized that it did not dawn on the officer that a woman could be the military member and not the man I ve never seen an officer walk away so fast went into labor with my second child at Travis Air Force Base The staff had already informed me and my spouse that David Grant Medical Center was a teaching facility therefore there could be a few people looking in on the birth of my daughter I did not think anything strange of this and accepted what I was told As I was in labor midway into pushing I looked up between my legs and lo and behold there were about 15 people watching me give birth to my daughter That s when it hit me it is definitely a given that the government owns you once you ve joined TECHNICAL INSTRUCTOR GOES FISHING A n Air Force TI is at the main entrance to the dorm room in Basic Training after hours and knocks at the door The Airman asks Do you have an ID Card Open up trainee I ve got a fish tank Sure enough the TI is standing on the other side of the door holding a large fish tank filled with water and fish The trainee responds back with I need to see your ID Card I can t get my ID card trainee I m holding this fish tank I can t let you in without seeing your ID card so I ll have to refer you to our CQ Dammit I ve got ID but I can t get it out because I have this fish tank now let me in and I ll get it out for you Faced with this dilemma and nearing a scheduled shift change as well as wanting to get some sleep the trainee does the only thing they can and lets the TI inside And just as soon as they do the TI sets the fish tank down and starts screaming at the trainee Why did you let me in without ID The TI continued yelling Everyone in this dorm is dead now because of you The TI reached the end of their tirade and asked the trainee What exactly were you thinking when you let me in here Trainee continued We were standing in front of families and they are sitting in the seats The flag is prefolded and urn is passed off to a diver She explained The immediate family comes to end of dock to watch and diver surfaces and gives thumbs up that their loved one has been placed in the ship After this takes place is when they give the 21 gun salute When Veronica parted ways with active duty she continued serving in the Air Force Reserves She worked in bulk fuels and was a quality control indicator for fuels lab During her time in the USAFR she was attached to the 944th at Luke AFB in Phoenix Arizona and she served in the California Air National Guard in the 452nd at March AFB in Riverside California Having deployed to multiple sandbox locations throughout the years Veronica was encouraged to take acting classes to help with the emotional stress associated with her 13 years of service during wartime 40 So she started as a background actor and learned every aspect of production from the ground up Over the years Veronica has done film acting and producing she has also done the work of a first assistant director Her work in film has taken her to the height of even being the casting assistant as well as being the set PA for extras and wrangler for the film The Hammer from 2007 starring comedian Adam Corolla She has appeared in numerous TV shows Theatre productions and Independent films Her recent move may have taken her away from Los Angeles known for film but she attends Minnesota Film and Television meetings where she now resides CLASS A Well I suppose it didn t really matter because the lock on the door is broken anyways I heard they got caught riding the floor buffer again While Veronica s military career is the reason she got involved in acting she continues because of her love of film In her spare time she volunteers for Pin ups for Vets and she visit Veterans homes in period pin up clothes to cheer and encourage the previous generation of Veterans www AVOWMagazine com Actually they got in trouble for gossiping The TI runs back outside and slams the door shut only to find that the lock was working perfectly fine Enraged the TI screams back at the trainee DAMMIT LET ME BACK IN THERE The trainee responded Do you have your ID card 2019 C Wilkinson Facebook com AVOWMagazine What the TI exclaimed in surprise Do you have a funny story we can tell Message us at xxx xxx com and if we print your story you ll receive a free AVOW t shirt 41

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MILITARY SPOTLIGHT LIEUTENANT COLONEL CYNTHIA B KEPPLE RET Lieutenant Colonel Cynthia B Kepple was the Director of Logistics for the 162d Combat Communications Group Beale Air Force Base California starting in 2013 and retiring in 2015 Her military time began in 1977 when she enlisted in the Air Force Reserves at Travis Air Force Base California as an Avionics Instruments Specialist In 1978 she attended college in Florida and transferred to the 919th Special Operations Wing at Duke Field working in Avionics Instruments as a Crew Chief and in Quality Assurance In 1984 Lt Col Kepple transferred to the 301 RQS in Homestead Florida working in the Quality Assurance office In 1986 Lt Col Kepple moved back to California and transferred to the 129th Rescue Wing s Quality Assurance office at NAS Moffett Field In 1987 she attended the Academy of Military Science at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base Tennessee where she received her commission She was the first female 129th Maintenance Squadron Officer and later became the first female 129th Maintenance Squadron Commander As a Maintenance Officer Lt Col Kepple led approximately 160 people during two Red Flag exercises in Las Vegas generating search and rescue C 130s and HH 60 helicopters sorties that were flown each day In 1995 she became the Chief Social Actions later renamed Military Equal Opportunity where she received the 2001 National Guard Bureau Outstanding Air National Guard Drug Testing Program Award During her tenure as Chief Military Equal Opportunity she was involved with the Drug Demand Reduction school visits promoting a drug free gang free and staying in school message to elementary school aged children In 2002 Lt Col Kepple was activated for a year in support of Operation Enduring Freedom Northern Watch She was the Maintenance Squadron Commander for two years prior to becoming the California State Air National Guard Inspector General at the Joint Force Headquarters in Sacramento in 2005 While serving as the Inspector General Lt Col Kepple was one of five finalists for the Lt Gen John P Flynn Inspector General Award for four years She also served as an adjunct faculty member for the Secretary of the Air Force s Installation Inspector General Training Course in Virginia Top Colonel Kepple receiving her commission Bottom With her family during her retirement ceremony 42 www AVOWMagazine com Facebook com AVOWMagazine Since retiring in 2015 Colonel Kepple enjoys supporting causes such as walking in the American Cancer Society s Relay for Life and Parkinson s Moving Day to fundraise to help find a cure for these awful diseases She volunteers at the quarterly Operation Care and Comfort Care Package Assemblies that creates and ships Care Packages to deployed troops and coordinates two Honor Flight reunions for local WWII vets per year She and her dad a WWII B 24 tail gunner volunteer for a week each year with the Collings Foundation s Wings of Freedom Tour The foundation supports the living history of the WWII B 24 B 17 B 25 Bombers and the P 51 Mustang during their tour of the country MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster Air Force Achievement Medal Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters Air Force Organizational Excellence Medal with one oak leaf cluster Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf clusters National Defense Service Medal with one star device Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal Air Force Longevity Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Armed Forces Reserve Medal with hour glass device Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon Rifle Air Force Training Ribbon OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 1980 Honor Graduate Aircraft Maintenance 1987 Distinguished Academic Graduate Academy of Military Science 2010 Lt Gen John P Flynn Inspector General Award Finalist NAF JFHQ category 2008 Installation Inspector General Training Course Adjunct Faculty Member 2007 Lt Gen John P Flynn Inspector General Award Finalist NAF JFHQ category 2006 Lt Gen John P Flynn Inspector General Award Finalist NAF JFHQ category 2005 Lt Gen John P Flynn Inspector General Award Finalist NAF JFHQ category 2001 National Guard Bureau Outstanding ANG Drug Testing Program Award 43

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INFORMATION FACTS STATISTICS for Women Veterans MY MILITARY RESOURCES WEBSITES va gov womenvet Center for Women Veterans Monitor and coordinate VA s administration of health care and benefits services and programs for women Veterans womenshealth va gov Women Veterans Health Care Learn more about the changing face of women Veterans and what VA is doing to meet their health care needs dol gov vets womenveterans americanwomenveterans org American Women Veterans is the nation s preeminent non partisan 501 c 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to serving honoring and empowering military women veterans and their families AWV welcomes veterans and supporters from all eras and branches of service SOCIAL MEDIA The Women Veteran Program monitors the employment situation of women veterans to ensure DOL VETS programs serve women veterans and male veterans equitably Facebook com VeteranWomenSEC Facebook com AmericanWomenVeterans Facebook com WomenVeteransAlliance aapf org black women veterans MEET UP GROUPS Join us for a conversation where we explore the under discussed marginalization and abuse of Black women who serve and protect our country womenveteransalliance com The premier women veterans network focused on directly impacting the quality of life of women veterans Creating a community both online and off line including local women veteran networking groups community events and national conferences world wide which provide opportunities to connect and grow Searchable directory for women veteran organizations womenveteransalliance org allies We also have a comprehensive list of resources listed by category which we update twice a year womenveteransalliance org resources veteranwomensec org To position women veteran business owners Active Duty Reservist and or military spouses as our nation s leading small business revenue generators and employers 44 DID YOU KNOW About 6 of women Veterans who received compensation for a service connected disability were receiving Individual Unemployability compensation in 2015 This represents about 1 3 of the total women Veteran population Individual Unemployability is a component of VA s disability compensation benefit program which allows Veterans to receive financial compensation at the 100 level even though their total service connected disability rating is below 100 DID YOU KNOW meetup com WomenVeteransBusinessOwnersUnited 1 in 7 men in this country is a veteran and 1 in 69 women in this country is a veteran SEARCH MEETUP DALLAS meetup com topics women veterans PHONE NUMBERS Women Veterans Call Center ALL WOMEN VETERANS The current projected percentage of U S Veterans who are women is 10 percent For the most recent projections visit VetPOP 2011 In FY 2009 the average age of women Veterans was 48 years compared to 63 years for their male counterparts In FY 2009 and FY 2010 PTSD hypertension and depression were the top three diagnostic categories for women Veterans treated by VHA About 1 in 5 women seen in VHA respond yes when screened for Military Sexual Trauma MST Though rates of MST are higher among women because of the disproportionate ratio of men to women in the military there are actually only slightly fewer men seen in VA that have experienced MST than there are women Women Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn OEF OIF OND Women make up nearly 11 6 percent of OEF OIF OND Veterans 57 4 percent of women OEF OIF OND Veterans have received VA health care of these 89 8 percent have used VA health care more than once 5 Nearly 51 3 percent of female OEF OIF OND Veterans who used VA care during FY 2002 2011 were born in or after 1970 aged 43 or younger compared to nearly 48 percent of male OEF OIF OND Veterans womenshealth va gov latestinformation facts asp 855 829 6636 DID YOU KNOW National Suicide Hotline With 177 507 women veterans the State of Texas has the highest number of women veterans in the U S 1 800 273 TALK 8255 Stop Soldier Suicide 1 800 273 8255 1 www AVOWMagazine com Facebook com AVOWMagazine 45

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BY CHRISTINA WILKINSON and MELISSA WASHINGTON Army Sergeant First Class Sevrine Banks retired was born to a Belgium mom and a Haitian dad She currently works for the Department of Healthcare Services for the State of California She is a manager and says her department takes care of long term care as well as disabled children RICK YOUNT M S LSW FOUNDER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Rick created a novel program concept involving Veterans with PTSD in the training of mobility service dogs for fellow Veterans The program has yielded very positive results at multiple sites Rick has presented the program concept at forums including the VA National Mental Health Conference and the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies WARRIORCANINECONNECTION ORG As a military brat growing up in Belgium Sevrine said that the healthcare system is very different in Belguim She said As a citizen of Belgium my mom did not pay a penny for her healthcare so I would love to make healthcare better here in the United States In 1995 Banks decided to enlist in the Army serving as a combat medic Her deployments include Bosnia Iraq and Afghanistan While there she led a group of 64 women into Southern Afghanistan as the Female Engagement Team FET and First Sergeant the only one in the US Army The FET company was created to enable female soldiers to engage with the women and children of Afghanistan Sevrine recalls those missions as some of the most humbling experiences of her life It was a great honor to have done something that wasn t done before These women overcame a lot that I don t think others thought they would 46 Left Sevrine meets Warrior Canine Connection service dog Sevrine Right Sevrine deployed Bottom Sevrine with her Puppy Parent Diane Cadenhead When she was deployed to Iraq she mentioned that the emergency room got two days off a week while working regular 8 hour shifts the other five days Sevrine said In the Army you are a soldier first then you are your MOS So soldiers were complaining because they didn t have as much time off She added We did what had to be done no matter what our job was Because of this attitude and her military leadership Sevrine was selected by the Warrior Canine Connection Foundation to have a dog named after her She traveled to Washington DC where she got to meet Sevrine the service dog and the puppy mom Diane Cadenhead At this time Diane had never met one of the veterans that a puppy was named after Sevrine said during her visit When I heard Diane telling Sevrine to sit it was so funny because she was talking to dog not me Sevrine the veteran gets to attend Sevrine s graduation in September and meet the veteran who gets her Sevrine said I am very honored it is a cool thing to have a service dog with my name Founder of Warrior Canine Connection Rick Yount said Training a service dog takes an amount of patience labradors and retrievers are porch sitting dogs with a Forrest Gump laid back feel and this is good for veterans As a licensed social worker Yount added It is about faking it until you make it and these dogs provide lots of this type of support He added Training these dogs is opposite of training to be in the military Once the veterans get their dogs they have to learn to pause for the dog s sake and connect to their slow pace Sevrine has settled down in Sacramento When asked about her social life she laughed and said I am my son s Uber driver because he has a bigger social life than I do She added I am the Sacramento chapter director for Women Veterans Alliance I love to travel I like to read and I love to do spin classes online She explained further When I am on my bicycle I am online with another veteran she s my riding partner who lives in Florida This is a huge change from Sevrine s days of leading and teaching dozens of women in the desert www AVOWMagazine com Facebook com AVOWMagazine 47

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