AVOW Magazine Summer/Fall 2020 : simplebooklet.com

AVOWMagazine com Christina Wilkinson USAF PUBLISHER Sheila L Holmes USAF EDITOR IN CHIEF Erin Trower USAF EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Genevieve Chase USA Lindsay Church USN Danielle Johnson USMC VR Small USN Melissa Washington USN Pat White USMC SPECIAL ADVISORS A magazine for women veterans by women veterans and for the people who love them CONTRIBUTORS Writers Tanya Barnett Leithea Williams Ruth Flynn Gale Paige Pat White VR Small Photography Maria Lysenko Paulette Wooten Priscilla Dupreez Yves Alarie Roman Odintsov Cotton Bro CREATIVE TEAM SabreDesign com ART DIRECTION DESIGN LAYOUT Copyright 2020 by AVOW Magazine All rights reserved The name AVOW and the AVOW logo are trademarks of AVOW Magazine 2019 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 Instagram com avow_magazine Twitter com AVOWMagazine O 209 841 8866 Sabre Design F 800 680 6217 E contact AVOWMagazine com 6 Summer 2020 www AVOWMagazine com

Page 7

Page 8

AVOW Magazine is proud and pleased to introduce a new special advisor to help guide us into the future We d like to welcome Lindsay Church to AVOW She comes to us with a diverse background and a unique insight of minorities serving and who have served Welcome to the team Lindsay Lindsay Church Lindsay Church she her they them is the Executive Director and co founder of Minority Veterans of America She served in the Navy as a linguist from 2008 2012 as an LGBTQ service members under Don t Ask Don t Tell Church attended language school at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey California where she learned Persian Farsi In 2012 she was medically retired and returned home to Seattle Washington Upon returning home Church attended the University of Washington where she obtained a BA in Islamic Studies and an MA in International Studies with a focus on the Middle East She began her work with veterans in 2014 and has since worked in higher education traditional veteran service organizations congressional advocacy and more Despite taking great pride in her work through the years she noticed that there were many 8 people being left out of the veteran community In 2017 she resigned her position as the Commander of an American Legion post to along with co founder Katherine Pratt start the Minority Veterans of America MVA an organization dedicated to creating community belonging and advancing equity for minority veterans The primary communities MVA serves are veterans of color women LGBTQ and non religious minority veterans Church s work with women veterans centers on advocacy and policy where she has testified before and sat on roundtables of the Women Veterans Task Force for the House of Representatives Her advocacy focuses on cultural barriers and systemic challenges women veterans face in the community and when accessing VA services Summer 2020 www AVOWMagazine com

Page 9

Page 10

DIVERGENCE by Juanita Kirton Music moves against walls bodies sweaty sway sweetly she my woman Brown skin melts between my legs female madness claims this space temporary escape Pretend time 9 to 5 12 to 8 3 to 7 Sista s get real on Saturday nights Dykes Femes stilettoes and wingtips slick back do s Jehri curls afros stiff and tall Light up a joint chase with a beer hips glide on veils of rhythms dark and smoky local mob mans the door In this place our mask removed behind shadows cloak and mimic re imagine what is real safe in this make believe world Don t get caught with the lights on false identity gender painted on uncovered I am original DADT DON T ASK DON T TELL Don t ask don t tell was the official United States policy on military service by gays bisexuals and lesbians instituted by the Clinton Administration on February 28 1994 when Department of Defense Directive 1304 26 issued on December 21 1993 took effect lasting until September 20 2011 Divergence was written as a homage to when women of color would frequent gay bars like Bonnie and Clyde s and The Duchess Gay bars and clubs were mostly owned by the mafia During the late 1960 s through the early part of the 1990 s these were the only safe places to go and socialize Even there many women who wore the U S uniform still had to be careful If you got outted your military career was over with a dishonorable discharge I never told anyone while on base or active duty that I was gay Since I had a son from a previous male relationship everyone assumed I was straight separated and raising my son alone I was a platoon sergeant and Communication Chief with 35 men under me Going to a gay club bar was my only escape into owning myself being real DADT did not help We gay soldiers served this country honorably We re soldiers first and always completed the mission that was set forth Fraternizing with either sex was frowned upon I ve had several male soldiers harass me during field exercises military trainings and during active duty deployments Seems that male soldiers have a difficult time with keeping their sexual desires in check I don t know how safe it is today to be out in the military Personally I wouldn t chance it But I m grateful to the Army my 14 years was well spent I served my country learned a new skill earned my Masters degree and with a service connected disability my medical expenses are paid for At 72 years old I miss those old clubs the music was great and with this pandemic it s even harder to socialize God will someday bless America 10 Summer Summer 2020 2020 www AVOWMagazine com www AVOWMagazine com

Page 11

Page 12

Poles by Juanita Kirton A field of stilted timber like wooden soldiers stretch up 45 feet rest at attention fitted with mental gaffs leather belted waist single female shin attachment strapped secure follow orders right foot it bleeds not you go up pierce the membrane under Army greens her heart thrashes pierce the membrane left foot Up you go Sarge bellows below eyes straight Pierce the membrane pierce the membrane don t look down right foot up left foot tree line outlook unrestricted wood poles dwarfed rigid embrace don t look Down camouflage caps adorn the crown a high top view afloat with green engaging my buckled abdomen I reach for signal wires snap tie fasten connection communication 12 Dr Juanita Kirton earned an MFA from Goddard College 2015 in Creative Writing and Poetry and was the recipient of the Goddard College Spirit Scholarship Juanita is published in several anthologies includingA Journal of Hope and Healing Caribbean Writer Chester H Jones Literary Journal Clevergirl Exit 13 Magazine Goldfinch Literary Magazine Mom Egg Review Narrative Other Voices Persimmon Tree Pink Panther Magazine Rat s Ass Online Journal Stone Canoe Veterans Voices and WORDPEACE She is the winner of the Sisters in Script self publishing grant and was the recipient of the Baker Veterans Writing Scholarship 2019 to attend the Longleaf Writers Conference in Seaside Florida Her Peace Haiku was selected for the Peace Mural in Philadelphia Juanita is a member of Women Who Write Inc International Women s Writing Guild and Women Reading Aloud workshop series Juanita s recent poetry manuscript titled Letters to my Father was accepted for publication by Finishing Line Press 2019 She facilitates a weekly writing group for the Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center in Bangor Pennsylvania and served on editorial staff for Clock House Literary Journal Additionally she served as a teaching artist with Crossing Point Arts Arts for survivors of human trafficking Dr Kirton served fourteen years in the U S Army and enjoys touring the U S on her motorcycle She currently resides in North East Pennsylvania with her spouse Summer 2020 www AVOWMagazine com

Page 13

Page 14

Page 15

Page 16

S he was born in Michigan and grew up in a middle class semi observant Jewish family which was blended at times Rochel started learning violin at the age of seven and was sometimes involved in drama Even though she grew up in a disciplined home she liked to joke that going from her mother s house to bootcamp was no big stretch Being very sure of herself she told us From the day I was marched through the door I probably could have taught my drill instructor a thing or two about the proper way to make a bed with hospital corners So the discipline I learned early on resulted in self discipline and that gave me what I needed to cut through the chaff and learn as much as possible in bootcamp broadcasting school and after 16 I believe in the purity of what I feel journalism should be to serve with truth Speed in getting the message out is obviously clear and understanding the responsibility of their job While growing up she initially wanted to be a physical therapist As a high school freshman she was introduced to forensics which was considered an extracurricular public speaking competition in her school One of the competition categories in forensics was radio Rochel did so well that she decided to go into radio as a career She was initially accepted into Michigan State University which at the time was considered one of the top five communication schools in the U S Unfortunately she received a letter from the university declining financial aid to pay for her education This door may have closed but when Rochel brought the letter declining her financial aid to the guidance counselor at her high school an Air Force recruiter just happened to be sitting in the counselor s office The next door had just opened Rochel quickly created an audition tape for their broadcasting program and was accepted In January 1987 she attended bootcamp at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio Texas Upon graduation she attended broadcasting school at the Defense InformaSummer 2020 www AVOWMagazine com

Page 17

On the differences today between military broadcasting and civilian It was drilled into us during training to get your facts right Period An opinion piece was an opinion piece All the rest better be factual and truthful We weren t there to fight over ratings Maybe that was a benefit tion School Fort Benjamin Harrison Indiana which was soon followed by her first assignment to Yokota Air Base Japan from 1987 to 1989 Following Japan she was stationed in Iraklion Air Station inCrete Greece from 1989 to 1992 and served a short stint in Dhahran Saudi Arabia at the tail end of Desert Shield My job was mainly overseas stateside I would have had to work in a Public Affairs office Rochel explained Why would she have had to work in the Public Affairs office stateside She told us Stateside you have American radio and television Overseas it s a different story So a large chunk of bases overseas including Navy ships have a full radio and TV station fully staffed in every position with military broadcasters Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 The Armed Forces Radio and Television Network or AFRTS which is what it was referred to back when Rochel served is now called AFN or the American Forces Network Rochel told us that those in military broadcasting were there to be a consistent taste of home as well as a source for local information for those stationed overseas To clarify a typical station on the TV side of the house would include people in administration arranging scheduling etc people running the board switching programming a full news department consisting of reporters and those researching and arranging for stories Then there is writing shooting and editing local stories and writing shooting and editing local commercials as well as public service announcements PSAs Radio was not so different from television with military members being disc jockeys when there wasn t canned or scheduled programming Rochel explained that they tried to be as similar to stateside radio music shows as possible which also included us writing performing and editing all our own commercials etc Much of our programming was canned some of it live through negotiations with stateside networks AFRTS was able to provide a taste of home with 90 of the top 100 programs popular at the time Programming which wasn t time sensitive was sent to broadcasting on tape on a circuit from base to base such as comedies dramas soap operas like General Hospital and the like Timely programming like major network newscasts David Letterman CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE 17

Page 18

STRENGTHS MY FAITH AND ATTEMPTING TO LIVE A G DLY LIFE ACCORDING TO THE TORAH ABILITY TO LOOK OUTSIDE THE BOX ABLE TO PUSH PAST PAIN MOST OF THE TIME MULTITASKING WEAKNESSES DELEGATING I SUCK AT IT BIG TIME PROCRASTINATION sports was recorded off their encrypted satellite and played back in the scheduled programming slots Normally they would also produce a local base newscast with all positions being filled by military members She said Radio was the same albeit with more live time Rochel said I thrive on being creative and using whatever talents I have to complete the mission in the best way possible I think that s what was different about broadcasting in the military versus civilian She further explained Much of civilian broadcasting is cutthroat it s major ego They almost demand more than the military as far 18 as dedication what have you done for me lately as in the last three minutes They know that you know they know there s lots of people out there who want to be in your job She told us that military broadcasting was all about service and the mission I m not saying there weren t some egos out there but the mission was priority she added Because she was in Japan for a good chunk of time she would be assigned to spot production during the week or overnights and the weekend shifts which included a daily two hour live time slot During this time she had an idea to turn it into a feature show So she reached out to popular music labels and promoters in Tokyo and she started to arrange for interviews of popular music artists Rochel brought back interviews and developed feature shows during her live time slot Many times I needed to do the interviews on my off duty time but at that point I was single it was exciting so I didn t mind She continued I was able to interview the Temptations Chick Corea White Lion Duran Duran and Cheap Trick among others Rochel also reminded us to remember that she served during the 1980 s She felt like she was able to get experience that she would have never been able to get stateside with her age and level of experience These famous musicians loved that the American military overseas wanted to talk with them She excitedly said Sometimes I was also able to get access to press conferences When Desert Shield began and the decision to start sending broadcasters was made Rochel told us that they were only taking volunteers I had an urge like I never had before that I needed to volunteer and do whatever I could On one side my job could be looked at as very minor yet if there was anything I could do to be a release for people bring a touch of home any thing I wanted so much to do that she explained BROADCASTING FROM A SANDBOX Serving in the military during the Gulf War as a broadcaster in Saudi Arabia was different than in the past or even now Rochel said Somehow the phone number for our broadcast pod think an 8x12 metal storage pod with a full radio TV station inside got out and we had stateside radio stations calling us every day They all thought it was so cool to be able to call directly to a military broadcaster in the war zone On our side you never knew when you picked up the phone if it was local or a station calling from the states whoever answered the phone did the interview She continued At one point a radio station in Colorado called I happened to answer so we talked At the end they excitedly said they wanted to call me back that evening their time of course and they were going to arrange a joint interview together with them me and Adrian Cronaur the military broadcaster for whom the movie Good Morning Vietnam is based Two minutes before they called our air raid sirens went off signaling a SCUD had been launched So when they called I told them while wearing a gas mask that I couldn t talk They were extremely upset See I couldn t explain why because then I d be announcing an attack live on U S radio I was just hoping they later saw the news and understood but they never called back And speaking of secrets one of the censorships during the Gulf War was that bases weren t supposed to do weather reports At the time the locations of the bases were supposed to be kept secret so weather reports were a no no They also didn t announce when there were scud missiles launched Since the bases were aware Summer 2020 www AVOWMagazine com

Page 19

Well known 80s band White Lion enjoying dinner Left to right Mike Tramp Rochel James LoMenzo and Greg D Angelo of American contractors in the locale they played the national anthem as a scud alert After the all clear they d follow up with songs such as Another One Bites the Dust or other appropriate songs Keep in mind that this was the early 1990 s After separating from the military and going through a divorce she became a single mom and moved back to Michigan After a year or so she started giving Judaism a lifestyle commitment and six years later she married a Rabbi in Florida just to turn around and become a widow at 32 years old Rochel added I later remarried and now live in Arizona with a wonderful husband and blended family of seven We are busy with a small congregation but the majority of my husband s time is doing prison chaplaincy throughout the state and working with formerly Russian Jews When moving to Arizona I found out about Jewish War Veterans of Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 the USA joined and am very active JWV is actually the oldest continuous Veterans Service organization in the USA beginning in 1896 so we are coming up on our 125th anniversary in 2021 She continued I m a past Post Commander and currently on the National Executive Committee representing the Department of the Southwest I was asked to Chair and grow the JWV Gulf War Committee and recently was invited to join both the JWV national Policy and Steering Committees Rochel s thoughts on working in radio in the 80 s versus radio now I would say in general the trends each generation for lack of a better term are brought out in what the media of that time feels they either want or need Today I wonder if an addition to that could be what or how that media wants to manipulate one to feel or think I don t think that s the proper place for them Now I m also looking at it with a lens of a 50 year old while a 24 yearold may look at it differently Currently Rochel is a wife mother a co director of a nonprofit and she is nationally involved with Jewish War Veterans of the USA She mentions that she cooks homemade four course dinners for 10 15 people every Friday night and on Jewish holidays for sometimes up to 40 people She adds The meals I cook would make most people s Thanksgiving look like take out Ten years from now Rochel sees herself in the same place as she is now but presumably with some of her kids being married off yummy grandbabies successful programs accomplished 520 more Sabbath dinners having the satisfaction of seeing women veterans valued and taken care of properly as well as a cure and treatment for Gulf War Illness She quickly mentioned How about world peace on top of it 19

Page 20

LADONNA AVAKIAN HEATHER PATERSON HOLLYAIRE FARM BY NATALIE MONROE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST FARMING COMMUNITY OF JUNCTION CITY OREGON LIES A HISTORIC FARM THAT YEARS AGO WAS LEFT ABANDONED ITS NAME HOLLYAIRE A 110 acre property planted to sour cherries blackberries and holly it was owned and operated by Vaughn and Mary Ball as their second home after retirement Mary felt the most rooted and experienced the best memories of her life on this property The holly used for Christmas wreaths and holiday d cor was mailed around the globe After 50 years of marriage Vaughn passed away at which point the farm was split up and sold And left without care Two decades later a young pair of identical twin sisters stepped in Ladonna Avakian and Heather Paterson grew up in Oregon went to college locally but felt a stronger calling With a desire to serve in the military and a history of uncles and great uncles who also served it only felt natural They looked up recruiters and went to the Air Force office together Ladonna spent four years as a dental technician in the Air Force A self described tomboy she studied Environmental Science in college Heather served in Japan and in the Iraqi Conflict as an Emergency Manager Both women returned home with service related injuries At that time Heather went into finance applying her Masters in Business and Finance to a position with the city of Eugene Ladonna s path led her to the abandoned Hollyaire property when her husband purchased the land But his day job didn t allow him to commit to farming So Ladonna took it on She was attracted to the rich history of the story and drawn to the 50 year old holly trees She revived all the crops turning it into a completely working farm starting with 15 acres It was a very labor intensive job that took many years to tackle Bringing back a distinguished piece of agricultural history this 15 acres is now known once again as Hollyaire Ladonna kept the name intact because she thought it was beautiful And then she brought Heather on board I had held summer jobs with livestock I always had a passion for being outside and doing something active shared Heather who deals with multi symptom illnesses related to serving in Iraq and exposure to chemical warfare So when Ladonna called it was an easy decision Ambitious and driven Heather wanted something different than the desk chair of the finance world in which she had planted herself But funding the property has been a continual challenge and turning a profit even harder as they are continually reinvesting income into new capital equipment That s where Farmer Veteran Coalition a national nonprofit that helps veterans pursue careers in agriculture has helped Awardees of their Fellowship Fund small grant program last year the sisters purchased an orchard air sprayer with their grant The equipment has allowed them to have more control and spray more frequently and it will save them thousands of dollars It s giving up a high paying job and a paycheck at my job at the city to come do something you love and small grants like this one make you feel valued and supported expressed Heather graciously As veterans we don t feel deserving and we like to serve So when we are served it s humbling and an honor just knowing support is out there and that the farming community has your back Ladonna piped in Farming is all about community and FVC really is its own community Anything we need our neighbors are right there to help us with equipment for sale and with CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE 20 Summer 2020 www AVOWMagazine com

Page 21

Page 22

advice But then on a national level FVC comes in We re thankful we re definitely thankful The pride they felt in serving their country parallels their desire to provide good fresh seasonal food for their local community With a passion for environmental stewardship the twins are conscious of how they care for the land and what they put in their bodies If they wouldn t feed it to their kids they wouldn t feed it to their community Now they are carrying on the farm s tradition primarily producing sour cherries and holly wreaths once again Holly is a true labor of love chuckled Heather acknowledging that wreath making has its challenges As one of the only sour cherry farms left in their county and almost in the entire state many other properties removed cherries in favor of other crops this has meant a lot of independent learning some community outreach and a lot of trial by error Though there is one key person still on the 22 farm who helped plant the original cherry orchard as a t e e n a g e r Eric has lived and worked on Hollyaire for 37 years since he was 15 first working for Mr and Mrs Ball Now he has been crucial in teaching necessary skills like tractor and equipment maintenance and wreath making He is Ladonna s right hand man The women harvest hazelnuts as a tertiary crop and are acquiring another 40 acres And just last year they took their farm to the next level producing nearly everything under the sun and selling it through their farm stand tomatoes cucumbers eggplant potatoes onions blueberries raspberries apples pears fig plums kiwi walnuts olives basil herbs and eggs all sold under the Homegrown By Heroes label It s the official farmer veteran branding program of America They make jams and kettle corn too Highly addictive kettle corn This year they will add peach trees and nectarines Ladonna shares dreams of planting corn and pumpkins so they can host a pumpkin patch as a fall destination for kids Their hobbies include sewing and photogra phy and they raise four kids between the two of them When asked what they don t do Ladonna paused a moment then answered sleep For the pair it s all worth it As Heather reveals To be two young women and twin sisters doing this when less than 1 of the population of the nation farms anymore and ours is a legitimate farm and business that we re growing it s all very rewarding Then Ladonna gets to the heart of it all Sometimes just sitting on my 1988 Kubota mowing the grass that feeling I couldn t put it into words I wish I could just give it to you You cannot get that feeling anywhere else I have this old blue pick up and we put 1 000 pounds of cherries in the back and I drive it down to the local farm we sell to and it s just you just can t replace that feeling Heather It s the lifestyle the environment something so natural about it that I think we ve lost in society You are so connected to the earth it s nice But perhaps the most compelling is their description of what it s like farming as sisters Heather We balance each other really well With Ladonna s background in environmental science she has taught me so much about farming specifically cherries and holly even though I m 19 minutes older I talk to her about finances This is helpful to Ladonna when the traumatic brain injury she suffered can be prohibitive at times Summer 2020 www AVOWMagazine com

Page 23

WWW HOLLYAIREFARM COM We love it and our community takes us very seriously Ladonna expands on that I m really a farmer at heart I m kind of a tomboy and so I ll stand and talk to them about spray plans pruning working on my tractor And it s completely different if Heather goes in there because she can help them with finance grant write ups As they reflect on some of the most rewarding parts of farming they not only complete each other s sentences but also the other s thoughts Ladonna Absolutely being a mother and farming is one of the most rewarding things On everything whenever I explain the farm I always picture in my mind a baby in a pack on my back or out in a playpen in the field Heather All our boys out there running Ladonna From being toddlers in their mud boots following us to cut holly when it s 40 degrees out with their big fluff coats They Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 get on ladders and pick cherries Heather They even climb up in the trees to pick with us it s awesome Ladonna My two boys will go grab a tray and fill it up with cherries They are out there throwing them at each other also picking them it s so good to see it I ll hold my daughter on my back and I ll mix the wreaths and she ll fall asleep on my back and it s just so empowering We re showing them this beautiful life we re doing it with them And the other most rewarding part of farming Heather Getting to work with my twin sister It s the most rewarding To be physically active outside working with my twin and having our kids out there having our family out there it s really an American dream Ladonna doesn t miss a beat Nothing can top it As communications direction for farmvetco org natalie monroe is a huge advocate of the veteran community Growing up in the heart of tech based Silicon Valley Natalie s love affair with agriculture local food and farm to fork movements was sparked by her collegiate relocation to the farmland community of Davis California She craved helping people and wanted to contribute to a cause that served a meaningful purpose hopeful to find motivation in a community focused mission Stories of agriculture have become her true passion she appreciates the chance to be immersed in a diversity of agricultural arenas and hopes to learn something valuable from everyone she connects 23

Page 24

Page 25

JUAN PABLO SERRANO ARENAS WHERE IS ROSIE THE RIVETER BY PAT WHITE I had the pleasure of meeting June Robbins AKA Rosie the Riveter June grew up in Philadelphia and went to Olney High School Her parents were divorced and she lived with her mother at her aunt s place June needed to get a job to help so she and her mom could get their own apartment She went to the school counselor who told June that next year she could take clerical classes That wasn t going to help her now She then went to a teacher and explained the situation June started taking mechanical drawing classes four times a day Robbins graduated high school in 1942 Her teacher gave her a letter of recommendation and called the Philadelphia Navy Yard She had to lie about her age as she was only seventeen years old They accepted June and enrolled her in a class to teach her all about the Navy Yard There she worked in a unit with ten other women with their first project being rehabilitating a cargo ship The women got a tour of the ship so they could fully understand what they were doing While working on the ship June had to work with both British and American hardware and also had to hone in on perfecting her welding skills On the opposite end June s mother worked on the aircraft side although they never talked about what they were doing as Loose lips sink Ships Robbin s grandfather read the foreign news every day to keep up on the war At that time the U S newspapers weren t that interested in it June s father was concerned that the Nazis might come down and kill them so he taught her to fight and shoot She learned jiu jitsu and how to shoot a 45 25 Lugar Enfield and a Springfield During the war June was also a junior USO hostess Robbins s boyfriend joined the Navy as a Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 starboard gunner on a B 24 Liberator She still remembers sending him off Like so many others when they returned he would not talk about what he did during the war June said We wrote lots and lots of letters to each other June also wrote to many others when they were away Robbin s came across an article about a plane crash on the base where her boyfriend was stationed and began to assume the worst as there was a period of time where she didn t hear from him The women she worked with were of many races ethnicities and religions One night after work Robbin s friends took her to a church on 13th Street between Market and Chestnut where they all prayed for his safe return The prayers worked SJune wants young people today to know We all pulled together We all had differences but it didn t matter because we were all Americans In 2017 the Rosies were invited to the Netherlands to speak about what they did That is where Robbins donated her tools to a museum being constructed The following year they visited the museum during opening day and met the King and Queen of the Netherlands Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it Robbins quoted I m afraid it s happening again The young people just want to know what s new today They don t want to study history As a Rosie she is deeply concerned about this Today Robbins belongs to two organizations American Rosie the Riveter Association and Thanks Plain and Simple Inc She is also a member of the Philadelphia Mayor s Commission on Women and the Mural Arts Commission Every Labor Day the Mayor has the women gather at the Liberty Bell and ring bells These groups try to find all the Rosies and promote their message to recognize and preserve the history and legacy of the women who did so much during the war Robbins and all the other Rosies paved the way for women today They did everything that a man did at less pay and received no recognition As soon as the war was over all the women received pink slips We were average women who did extraordinary things Robbins said We broke glass ceilings June added that she would love to see their story in the history books She also is trying to get a mural of the Rosies in Philadelphia but right now there aren t enough funds I say we help raise the money We can do it exclaimed Robbins Pat White graduated from Temple University with a Bachelor of Science in Education she was a special education teacher while serving her country in the U S Marine Corps Reserve She left the Marines in 2009 to spend more time with their son In October 2010 Pat enlisted in the Air Force Reserves She retired from the military in 2014 after serving her country for over 20 years and retired from the School District of Philadelphia January 2018 In March 2019 Pat White became a 1 Best Selling Author when her book Molly the Marine was SEVENTEEN Continued on NEXT page published 25

Page 26

Page 27

Page 28

Veteran Women s Enterprise Center Paving the way for women veterans one brick at a time Left to Right VR Christina Kelli business pitch winner Stephanie and Shannon T he Veteran Women s Enterprise Center strives to be more than just a center it s designed to be The Center for women veteran entrepreneur success At the VWEC we know the struggles that women veteran entrepreneurs face because the VWEC is structured to function like a social enterprise therefore we have faced the challenges of starting and scaling an organization We have designed our programs to fill the gaps to provide a more hands on turn key type of support Our trainings are not focused on 28 providing information but are focused on creating change in the moment Our hands on interactive training models are most effective when coupled with the right technology We spent over a year securing adequate internet access for the facility and we re sure you re not surprised that we never gave up We continued to bring in potential partners and sponsors to tour the facility and envision our design in full affect an inclusive but diverse community of women veteran entrepreneurs representing an array of industries collaborating on contracts building capacity encouraging and empowering each to be more than they could ever imagine Bringing home that sense of military camaraderie sisterhood resiliency and determination to achieve the mission it s powerful and it s doable An unexpected experience has been the tremendously positive impact COVID 19 has created for the VWEC First while we sheltered in place and in record time Spectrum ran cables directly to the Center Cornerstone Summer 2020 www AVOWMagazine com

Page 29

not just building businesses we re transforming lives Above Coworking privacy cube Left Caf Lounge entrance BTI placed our order and in over a week was ready to install our internet access points and security system paid for by a generous donation from the Boone Family Foundation In under 90 days we accomplished what we had been working on unsuccessfully for more than year Moving all our programs virtual was a challenge met with totally unexpected outcomes We implemented weekly virtual events positioning our organization on a national stage that resulted in us engaging nearFacebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 ly 500 women veterans in just one quarter more than our average annual engagement numbers To top off this series of unexpected events the VWEC secured three new sponsors providing COVID 19 specific funding nearly double our total contributions for 2019 This was amazing considering we lost nearly 50k at the onset of the pandemic as funders readjusted their giving objectives to support urgent needs related to COVID 19 Now the dream is truly a reality and we invite you to take a quick tour through our eyes of the VWEC We constructed a design that utilizes every inch of our 2700 square foot model facility with the capacity to serve 80 to 100 women veteran entrepreneurs Designed with women in mind restrooms are located on both sides of the main entrance Understanding women travel with an array of personal items those using our co working space will also have access to a private locker Projected to be in the hallway adjacent to staff offices CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE 29

Page 30

Conference Center with promotional technology will be the registration kiosk conveniently located for easy access to assistance Displayed throughout the hallway will be an ever changing exhibit of women veteran art Upon entry entrepreneurs will be drawn to the sounds of sisterhood in the Caf Lounge filled with women actively networking watching a webinar or enjoying a break At the end of the facility tucked away in a private room are 16 uniquely designed coworking spaces Business owners have their pick of personal privacy cubes ergonomic desks and or high bar for their working plea 30 sure The space will be equipped with two monitors to keep entrepreneurs connected to the variety of activities happening throughout the Center Across the hall in the Conference Center women veteran entrepreneurs will be attending hands on interactive trainings to immediately enhance their business productivity and performance The Conference Center will be equipped with access to two 75 inch interactive boards supporting collaborations across the nation The VWEC is female exclusive appli cation based coworking designed with the understanding that many women in the military have experienced MST and rather than complain about male dominated environments they simply isolate this is unacceptable The Center will be staffed by those that are equipped to support their entrepreneur journey with an understanding of the challenges faced in and out of the military We re not just building businesses we re transforming lives now and beyond COVID 19 Summer 2020 www AVOWMagazine com

Page 31

Page 32

Page 33

MILITARY SPOTLIGHT VERONICA WATERMAN I was born and raised in rural Canton Michigan and I come from a large family that includes six brothers and three sisters After age 10 I worked at my dad s auction house up until graduation Coming from a large family college would have been a hardship for my parents and out of the question On Oct 8 1976 I decided to enlist in the Marine Corps Delayed Enlistment Program within 20 days of graduating from high school I headed to boot camp June 24 1977 and graduated recruit training Sept 12 1977 As a new recruit I was 18 years old and naive and I was both excited and scared about becoming a woman Marine WM that was our title back then Today we re all Marines period I was stationed in Jacksonville North Car Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 olina at both Camp Lejeune and Montford Point for MOS training in 3521 Basic Motor Transport Next I took a brief stop home then I was off to El Toro for my first duty assignment I served two tours at MCAS El Toro in Irvine California before it was closed There I served as an admin clerk supply clerk training NCO and as a section leader Along the way I was assigned temporary duty with another unit as their admin clerk and was meritoriously promoted to Corporal E 4 which was unheard of as units generally like to only promote within their own After El Toro I received orders for an overseas assignment to Camp Schwab Okinawa While Stationed at Okinawa I served with the 3rd Marine Division H S Company 1stTacVehBn as the Company Career Planner and Education NCO where I received a letter of appreciation from LACCO Los Angeles Community College s Overseas for my efforts in assisting members of my unit to Complete or continue their education During my six years of service I qualified several times as a Rifle Sharpshooter with the M 16 rifle My father had several rifles and shotguns in our home while growing up and taught us gun safety I won t say I was a natural at shooting but I wasn t scared of it either Several male Marines and I spent quite a few weekends at the local pistol range to maintain our accuracy and just for the fun of shooting Life wasn t all Marines I had the opportunity to volunteer to assist the Orange County California Special Olympics and just being a part of these athletes special day is a memory that I will treasure for the rest of my life I would say that being assigned as a career planner noncommissioned officer was probably the most rewarding experience and I was promoted to Sergeant upon my reenlistment prior to my rotation back stateside to El Toro As a Marine we had good times and bad but the good outweighed the bad or I wouldn t have stayed six years of active duty service after which I was honorably discharged as an E 5 on Sept 27 1983 Today I am active with my local Women Of The Moose Lodge Chapter 1544 in Merritt Island Florida I served as assistant guide guide and the retention chair before work requirements took priority I am also an avid collector of Wonder Woman and Pepsi Cola collectables 33

Page 34

Page 35

CARRESSA CHRISTIAN WAS A SHY CHILD SHE WAS THIN HAD A BAD COMPLEXION AND WAS TEASED A LOT TO AVOID BEING TEASED CARRESSA WOULD DO THE OTHER CHILDREN S HOMEWORK WHEN CARRESSA WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL SHE DECIDED TO JOIN THE AIR FORCE WHEN SCHOOL WAS FINISHED TO HAVE A FRESH START SHE WAS VERY EAGER ABOUT THIS DECISION AND ENLISTED IN 1985 RIGHT AFTER GRADUATION C aressa graduated from Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio Texas and was ready to go to her first duty station Airman Christian was stationed at Homestead Air Force Base in Homestead Florida Upon checking in she was greeted by a Master Sergeant E 7 She did not get the greeting she was hoping for He told Caressa that she shouldn t be there because he didn t believe women should be in the military Not a warm welcome to say the least Airman Christian was a medical administrator and worked at the hospital on base Most Airmen didn t have a lot of money and her Staff Sergeant took advantage of that He would loan his troops twenty dollars but they had to repay him forty Not exactly a pillar of the community Caressa met a man another Airman that she liked and went on a date with him He brought her back to his barracks where he slipped something into her drink When Caressa awoke she had two naked men on top of her When she was able she got away and called the military police She was taken to the hospital where a rape test was performed and Caressa filed charges but no one believed her despite the hospital visit The man with whom she had the date only received barracks restrictions for a few days for having a woman in his room as they were prohibited People started call ing her crazy and a liar Caressa tried to put it behind her and focused on her work All of Caressa s evaluations were outstanding A few months later she had a date with another man who tried to rape her Luckily for Caressa there was a bottle nearby and she used it to defend herself against him Nothing happened to that man either For defending herself against the man with force they took Caressa s rank away and gave her a bad conduct discharge Try getting a job with that on your record Caressa was devastated She now had no job and no one believed her Shame and guilt plagued her This seeded the path to devastation and drugs and she CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 35

Page 36

Page 37

Carressa Christian serves as the Program Director and Director of Intensive Outpatient Program and Supportive Housing at Chrysalis House As a model 2002 alumna of Chrysalis House Carressa has held almost every role within the organization In her role in leading Outpatient Services at Chrysalis House she directs the 26 week Intensive Outpatient Program at Crownsville which has grown dramatically In the continuum of recovery services she oversees the four Supportive housing units for women with children continuing their recovery Carressa holds a degree in Human Services and is working towards a degree in Psychology She is a certified Addictions Counselor and is active in the Maryland substance use treatment and recovery field Carressa is committed to the mission of Chrysalis House because it saved her life and it offers her the opportunity to serve as a role model for other women going through the same circumstances For Christmas 2019 Caressa received a charm bracelet with an Air Force emblem unfortunately this triggered flashbacks from years ago and she became suicidal She sought help from the VA and there the doctor told her that he believed her and thanked her for her service This was the first time that Caressa had ever heard those words It had always bothered Caressa that her career in the Air Force ended the way it did She started reaching out to people to see how she could get that discharge turned around and find justice I happened to see her on my Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 friend s podcast Faith Over Fear with Jody Paar and heard her story I told her right away that I wanted to help her get an honorable discharge I reached out and discovered Lindsey Knapp who works at www combatsexualassault org and learned that what happened to Caressa is more common than people would care to believe Caressa attended a board hearing to retell her experience on April 22 2020 Due to the pandemic the meeting was virtually She cried the whole time and even told them of her fears that one of the men on the board might be her attacker They thanked her for being brave enough to share her experience and told her they would be in touch but she did not know when they would make a determination I m delighted to tell you that on Friday May 8 2020 Caressa received her DD214 with her honorable discharge If you or someone you know needs help you can reach out to Caressa at 443 839 4679 or stop in at the Chrysalis House in Baltimore It s never too late 37

Page 38

Page 39

A rmor Farms is a female veteran owned central coast produce delivery company representing a collaboration of family farms We are located in Arroyo Grande CA We enable our customers to order chilled fruits and vegetables online eliminating the fear and anxiety of grocery shopping We bring you a fresher product healthy cooking ideas and convenient delivery right to your door We aim to add a new element of health and wellness to customers by offering people a convenient way to get fresh produce to their door We offer a variety of fruits and vegetables cold packed and delivered locally or less than two days in the following locations CA AZ WA OR NM ID MT NV UT Armor Farms offers a a small or large subscription option for your boxes as well You can opt for weekly bi weekly or even a one time box Armor Farms originated from the realization that direct to consumer access to the best freshest central coast vegetables was unavailable Shelby Bernard set out to bring them to as many people as possible After months of preparation it was launched at the end of March following an increased demand for access to fresh produce For every box sold Armor Farms donates produce to those affected by COVID 19 and those in need Organizations such as New Life Church Woods Humane Society Five Cities Vineyard Church House of Prayer and Com munity Action Partnership of SLO have benefited from the generosity and support of Armor Farms Over 500 families have been supported by this gesture After graduating from the United States Air Force Academy as a Division 1 basketball athlete Shelby served eight years active duty Her assignments include Aircraft Maintenance at McChord AFB WA where she supervised over 300 troops managing flightline maintenance on C 17 Globemaster She managed the logistics operations for Operation DEEP FREEZE a National Science Foundation operation in Antarctica to ensure safe launch of aircraft carrying cargo and personnel between New Zealand and Antarctica Following two years at McChord she was transferred to Spangdahlem Germany to run the back shop engine maintenance for 169 jet engines including those of the F 16 Fighting Falcon and the A 10 Warthog There she managed the United States Air Force Europe s Engine Regional Repair Center providing major F110 GE 100 engine maintenance for the 31st Fighter Wing Bernard also directed the Air Force s Centralized Intermediate Repair Facility for all units deployed into USCENTCOM in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom and she ended her career as a hand selected Air Force ROTC instructor at San Diego State University Following the Air Force Bernard was hired into the Medical Device sales community where she marketed for Stryker Endoscopy and later Hologic Sales Shelby was married in 2011 and began her family in 2013 In addition to owning Armor Farms Shelby is now a stay at home mother to four children Bowen 7 Declan 5 Rennon 3 and baby girl Evington 2 The passion Bernard has for giving is her motivation for starting her company She sets aside a percentage of her profits to give back to veteran organizations supporting the mental health of retired separated and active duty members of the military Armor Farms isn t just for people who want vegetables it s for people who want the BEST vegetables ARMORFARMS WWW ARMORFARMS COM 805 868 7191 Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 39

Page 40

YOUR NETWORK COTTON BRO BY GALE PAIGE T his pandemic certainly has disrupted and changed our lives Now more than ever it is important to know your network stay connected to your network and help the people in your network Know your network I teach many workshops to individuals and corporations and the first thing I teach in my four step strategic networking course is to identify your network For many people they think Oh I don t have a network or Why do I need this information We all have a network of people in our lives Family friends coworkers second 40 cousins on your aunt s side hobbyists you hang out with running group you run with soccer buddies college friends college professors veteran sisters and the many female veteran organizations in which you belong To understand your network start by writing the names of everyone in each of these categories If I missed a category please write it down and start a list Why do you need this information Your network is comprised of people that you know like and trust and that know like and trust you These are the people that you call to talk about your day or to listen to their day These are the people that when you need help you can call on them to help you These are the people you spend time with work colleagues Zumba classmates and they re the people you call family These people can help you in far more ways than helping you move into your third apartment in as many years Staying connected I served in the Air Force before cell phones and personal computers I stayed in touch with letters note cards and the occasional phone call it was expensive to call home when I lived in Germany Today s technology allows us to stay in touch in many ways I highly recommend reaching out and messaging your network to check in with Summer 2020 www AVOWMagazine com

Page 41

SOCIAL CURRENCY HOW ARE YOU CAPITALIZING ON YOUR NETWORK ESPECIALLY DURING COVID 19 them Ask them how they re doing and listen Write a letter send a note card or an email Personal touch means a lot Getting mail is such a highlight when it isn t a bill If you feel like you don t have anyone to write to please go back to paragraph one I recently asked my daughters to send me names and addresses of their friends that could use a happy note card just because I haven t exhausted all of my contacts as I m waiting for some to send me their addresses If you d like a card send me your name and address via email Help and be helped In this time of lost employment loneliness and high anxiety Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 your network can help you If you lost your job please research opportunities where you would be a great fit Search social media to see who is connected to that organization opportunity Reach out and ask for a connection Ask for help It can be difficult but your network wants to help you If a friend reached out to you would you help Most of us would answer yes You can start slowly by sending one email message letter or card or by calling one person to check in Soon you ll be connecting and your network will grow be stronger and add to your social capital Happy networking Gale Paige is an Air Force veteran She served from 1985 1993 Gale is a speaker trainer author avid dancer lover of life and chocolate Gale is a full time analyst trainer consultant with SRE Inc SRE Inc is a women veteran owned small business www sreinc us Gale s side hustle is Complete Professional Connections www completeprofessionalconnections com She teaches strategic networking and business development skills to individuals and corporations You can reach Gale at Gale completeprofessionalconnections com or gpaige sreinc us 41

Page 42

Page 43

Page 44

Page 45

S haron McDougle grew up in Moss Point Mississippi as the 9th of 12 children Her dad passed away when she was only four yearsold and her mom was killed in a car accident when she was only seven years old McDougle lived with her oldest sister and her sister s family after their mom passed away She said I recall wanting to work with children maybe become a kindergarten teacher but after my first plane ride in the sixth grade I decided I wanted to be a stewardess a flight attendant Upon graduating high school while her dream of becoming a flight attendant never came to fruition McDougle became an Aerospace Physiology Specialist after joining the Air Force She shared a funny story with us about her time in bootcamp You know we are told to never volunteer she stated Well the training instructor asked who was social and liked to hang out So like an idiot I raised my hand She continued with her story They told me that I was going to do laundry This is how someone social like me was going to just hang out all day She laughed and laughed and then said And one time I was also singing to myself and dancing while waiting in line to do something So the training instructor came over to me and started yelling and wanting to know where I heard music and why I was dancing I I couldn t help it but I busted out laughing She attended technical school at Brooks Air Force Base School of Aerospace Medicine in San Antonio Texas before heading to her permanent duty station at Beale AFB in Northern California As a member of the Physiological Support Division in Strategic Air Command she worked with the hypobaric and hyperbaric chambers operating both chambers and also worked as an inside observer While McDougle s entire enlistment was at Beale AFB she traveled a lot on temporary duty in support of the SR 71 and U2 reconnaissance missions which was half of her 7 year 4 month enlistment The locations she supported were Kadena AFB in Okinawa Japan Osan AFB in South Korea Mildenhall AFB in England Patrick AFB in Florida and a base in Cyprus Greece She also had the privilege of traveling in support of multiple air shows Additional duties are nothing new to service members so as part of an additional duty McDougle had the opportunity of working with the full pressure suit ensemble and survival equipment used by the SR 71 and U2 crew members I was very thankful for this part of my job because it was the fun interesting side of the job she said I prepared and tested the equipment suited up the crewmembers loaded the seat kit and parachute into the aircraft and strapped in the crewmembers and recovered them when they landed She continued I never thought about cross training to a different AFSC this was the job for me I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the military I had one of the best jobs in the Air Force I traveled half the year and was stationed in California it didn t get much better than that Joining the Air Force was one of the best decisions I ve ever made Sharon had been out of the Air Force for just six months when she got the call that CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE BOTTOM LEFT PHOTO STS 47 Crew Members Robert L Gibson Curtis Brown Mark C Lee Jerome Apt Jan Davis Mae C Jemison Mamoru Mohri with Sharon McDougle in the middle Description STS 47 was the 50th Space Shuttle mission of the program as well as the second mission of Space Shuttle Endeavour The mission mainly Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 involved conducting experiments in life and material sciences Launch date September 12 1992 Landing date September 20 1992 Spacecraft Space Shuttle Endeavour Launch site Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 Operator NASA ABOVE THIS PAGE Sharon in her earlier years in the military TOP LEFT PAGE PHOTO LEFT Sharon with John Glenn TOP LEFT PAGE PHOTO RIGHT Sharon with Mae Jemison 45

Page 46

Page 47

Page 48

Page 49

Page 50

NOW B illie Jo Gillispie is a stand up comedian who in her own words Would normally be in the middle of a summer tour at this point And while she s hoping to be back on the road for three cities this September she took a few moments to chat about her career Gillispie is part of a nationwide contest typically six months out of the year that takes her to 12 clubs throughout the nation She s honored for the opportunity to get in front of those bookers When I commented on her ability to share military stories in an unfiltered yet funny way she admitted it took a long time to accept herself unfiltered as she was raised conservatively Her beginning She recounted that when she was stationed at MCAS Futenma in Okinawa Japan a troupe came through out of Denver That s when Gillispie watched Nancy Norton perform comedy in an all male environment She remembered one of five people paying attention to a woman most of the men were talking yet Nancy was resolute Gillispie read a few books and sacrificed a few nights a week to start stand up comedy Nancy has since talked about that night how she thought she wasn t doing well but Billie Jo s inspiration was set at 19 years of age After following the responsible route of managing a house and her children at age 34 she started her own career in comedy in August of 1990 while getting ready to celebrate 30 years of service as an 0151 in Basic Administration At that time she was attached to the Ops Department later in North Carolina she was a publications clerk and now she s at a desk Gillispie shared she also had a fun post service career in food still taking catering jobs her father was also a chef and taught her to love flavors but

Page 51

FOR A LITTLE S GS BY SHEILA L HOLMES her primary job now is comedy She went from live shows to performing in corners of homes that they could make look professional Her best feedback is mostly from other women veterans who thank her for telling it like it is and while she works to bring humor to the woman veteran s experience she s currently struggling to make a joke about veteran s designated spots We spoke about this a bit and I shared how even our readers struggle with appropriate responses to being chased out of those parking places she mentioned a homeless veteran in Phoenix with a housing coordinator who never saw the homeless woman as a veteran therefore never offered her veterans services Billie Jo sees hope however We are claiming our visibility she stated We are the most visible troops and the most invisible veterans She recounts the same story as many of attempting to join the American Legion but leaving after two meetings because they wanted her in the Auxiliary and shares that the more we fight those battles the fewer have to be fought going forward I asked about her military service and she shared that in her joining the Marines her father an Army veteran himself was furious but he d made a previous deal with her as the youngest child and as none of the other children had graduated that if she graduated on time her life was hers So when she came home and told him she wanted to join the Marines and he retorted with Absolutely not she reminded him of his deal What happened Her recruiter spoke to the back of her father s chair and while Gillispie just knew he was not going to sign the papers her father turned around and signed as he was a man of his word He also kept her service pictures on his wall Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 When I asked about his hesitation she shared that he never spoke of it but back in those times society saw women entering the military as either there to find a husband or they must be a lesbian Those were the two stereotypes and both were negative We ve made so many taken so many steps forward in the last 10 years Gillispie was discharged from the military 27 years ago and shared her surprise that the gear now fits women and mentioned other major improvements such as women fulfilling forward roles that weren t even a possibility then She also touched on how when Jessica Lynch taken by enemy Everyone wanted to pull the women back saying Look what happened so now to see that we did move forward after all and the fact that so many women are stepping up into the most challenging roles and they re rocking it building a new stronger and more capable military similar to the Vikings where everyone went to war together and each battle takes us forward Returning to the present Gillispie described spending a lot of time on the road Pretty much where I like to be In September it looks like Phoenix Sacramento and Portland in November Las Vegas She s considering camping especially while many are concerned about people doing packed shows She s looking to do outdoor activities where the audience is more than 10 feet away and where capacity is at 25 percent Since Gillispie is an empty nester her dog Tigger is her constant companion and she s having a blast in this phase of her life and career She describes the countryside where at times she pulls over and admires the beauty nearly every 30 miles to soak it all in She s also found a group of traveling women veterans Laugh at her clips on Amazon via the her YouTube channel at tinyurl com BJGillispie What s next She and her friends wrote a book together where each comic wrote one chapter It was released on Amazon last week and the proceeds will be going to two caus es the Colorado chapter of Black Lives Matter and the Denver Justice project Find her book Comedians Are People Too and other lies at tinyurl com BJGillispieAmazon 51

Page 52

Page 53

EATING DISORDER STUDY BY RUTH FLYNN Editor s Note Every so often we choose to highlight a story that while not specifically written by a woman veteran may benefit women veterans Below is a request for research that particularly hones in on the unique health needs of women veterans Who she is looking for Must be a woman woman identifying person who has served in the military Between the ages of 21 50 Must be in recovery from an eating disorder s or in a safe recovered place on your eating disorder journey Must be willing to discuss the kinds of challenges impediments faced as you sought out treatment for an eating disorder While we understand eating disorders are uniquely tied into emotional and other health outcomes we encourage our readers to consider participating Below is Ruth s explanation of her research effort Eating disorders in military populations have increased dramatically over the last thirty years particularly in women1 While the VA and DoD have made strides in prioritizing healthcare programs for PTSD substance abuse and obesity there is a palpable gap in eating disorder support systems for veterans Furthermore eating disorders have a relapse rate of 36 and the highest mortality rate of any mental illness2 As a social scientist interested in eating disFacebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 order treatment in the United States I wanted to investigate the many layers of eating disorder recovery for veteran women Over the course of the next year 2020 2021 I am conducting a study on the barriers veteran women face when trying to achieve recovery and treatment for eating disorders The research is anthropological in design it is not only an investigation of financial insurance based and institutional barriers it is also a deep exploration of the emotional psychological and identity related challenges that come up as a veteran woman heals from disordered eating in her transition to civilian life The goal is to reveal the paradoxical nature of eating disorder recovery for individuals whose body attitudes may have been deeply affected by military culture and weight regulations For civilians struggling with an eating disorder recovery often means letting go of rigid control around food and weight For former service women how do we reconcile the military culture of weight regulation and control while healing from disordered eating habits The working title of the project Unlearning Discipline Barriers in Eating Disorder Recovery for Veteran Women encapsulates this idea Recovery might look more like unlearning control of food and weight rather than simply returning back to normal eating habits I want this study to reveal aspects of eating disorder treatment that are to be incompatible with the experience of the veteran woman Perhaps the veterans need a form of eating disorder treatment that is not currently being offered For instance if a veteran woman joins an outpatient or inpatient recovery clinic offering a one size fits all treatment plan will it effectively help her untangle the complexity of returning to civilian life with an eating disorder Likewise are VA resources for eating disorders adequate and effective I am seeking 9 volunteers to interview remotely for this study Volunteer participants must be veteran women womxn over the age of 21 who have struggled with an eating disorder during and or after service and who are actively seeking recovery I want to know what was it like coming to terms with your illness as a member of military and as a civilian What challenges did you face getting support Did you feel stigmatized Do you feel there is room for the eating disorder recovery world to better include veterans Please note that all interviews are confidential and guided by your comfort and convenience The purpose is to share your story to add to the awareness of this illness in the community REFERENCES Antczak Amanda J and Teresa L Brininger 2008 Diagnosed Eating Disorders in the US Military A Nine Year Review Eating Disorders 16 no 5 363 377 Khalsa Sahib S et al 2017 What Happens after Treatment A Systematic Review of Relapse Remission and Recovery in Anorexia Nervosa Journal of Eating Disorders 5 1 20 Please note that participation is voluntary and uncompensated If you are interested in interviewing with Ruth Flynn please email her at ruth_flynn4 gwmail gwu edu 53

Page 54

Page 55

FAILURE TO PLAN IS A PLAN TO FAIL BY LEITHEA WILLIAMS YVES ALARIE I grew up in St Andrew Jamaica in what is known as a garrison community Garrisons are neighborhoods that vote only for one political party and dissension is usually met with violence or some other form of intimidation Although loyal to their political parties and leaders garrisons tend to suffer from urban blight because of neglect I loved my neighbors my schools and my community but they were blind to the realization that their votes while needed were not appreciated U nlike the United States there is no Electoral College the process is simple one person one vote the political party receiving the most votes wins there are no run off elections Rain or shine garrison communities faithfully show up on election day to cast their votes they unknowingly hold power Although loyal to their political parties and leaders garrisons tend to suffer from urban blight because this power stops at the ballot box However there were always community members whose allegiance was to the mantle they chose whether it was education or community service My education in Jamaica in the early 80s went beyond History Mathematics and Science Mr Ray Howell and other teachers from Drews Avenue Primary School ensured my schoolmates and I were taught skills that would help us survive the tough life of adulthood in a garrison community These skills ranged from taking care of a home to fostering natural talents that would help us to earn a living if life got in the way of our education Luckily for me my family and I migrated to New Jersey in 1994 and the trauma I was being prepared for was CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 55

Page 56

functions for the Army While at DFAS I was promoted to Senior Airman Belowthe Zone then to Staff Sergeant As I was completing the educational requirements of the USAF I was also fulfilling a promise to myself I completed my bachelor s degree and applied to the USAF s Officer Training School and was accepted in 2003 My first assignment as a 2Lt took me to Ramstein Air Base Germany where I worked as the Deputy Financial Analysis Flight Commander providing cost and economic analysis to Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe Headquarters Allied Air Component Command and Air Mobility Command units In 2006 I moved on to become the Deputy Commander of the Financial Services Flight supporting over 53 000 military and civil ian personnel in the Kaiserslautern Military Community with military travel pay and disbursement services In Germany I completed my master s degree because the drive to excel and make my past proud was still there After Germany I was assigned to Muscat Oman as a Comptroller to the Executive Coordinating Agency Detachment 5 United States Air Forces Central In 2010 I returned to the U S to attend and teach Squadron Officer School SOS at Maxwell Air Force Base Alabama While at SOS I was deployed to Tikrit Iraq as an2 Air Advisor to the Iraqi Air Force Academy where I taught English to the student pilots During my tour in Iraq I was tasked with writing the job descriptions for the Iraqi Air Academy s open positions to aid in the warm YVES ALARIE cut short For the first five years living in New Jersey I worked various minimum wage jobs which led me to the realization that the life I wanted could not be gained from a 4 75 per hour job In 1999 I enlisted in the United States Air Force USAF and attended Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base immediately followed by technical training at Sheppard Air Force Base both in Texas My dream job was linguistics but since I was not yet a U S citizen I wouldn t be able to get a security clearance instead Financial Management chose me My first duty station was to Offutt Air Force Base Nebraska where I was assigned to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service DFAS and worked as a cashier for the Military Traffic Management Command as an Airman performing paying 56 Summer 2020 www AVOWMagazine com

Page 57

hand off to NATO Forces as the United States Armed Forces re deployed On my return to Maxwell Air Force Base I was assigned to the Defense Financial Management and Comptroller School as an instructor where I taught for one year before being assigned to Randolph Air Force Base as a Budget Officer While at Randolph I deployed to Kabul Afghanistan for seven months where death and destruction seemed to be everywhere Upon returning to the U S I decided to retire early in 2015 after serving 16 years As I walked my path throughout those 16 years I was always mindful of my need to do more for myself At each duty station when time permitted I enrolled in school to fulfill that need three years after retirement I completed my doctoral degree The military and education gave me a better quality of life than the one I was being prepared for where we lived from hand to mouth or worse Those of us who could not afford to prepare for tomorrow were often left wringing our hands because we didn t have a plan if the garrison was on lockdown due to a conflict with another community or political tensions were too high to allow commuting to and from work I learned early in life that a failure to plan is a plan to fail and the military further reinforced that adage as it taught me discipline and to prepare for the unexpected Emergent Life Skills and Education Consulting was born out of the need for a plan a plan that stems from seeing my neighbors and their families going without because they were unprepared or too overwhelmed by life to think about tomorrow I m building my company not to gain fame or fortune but because of the opportunities that were given to a little girl who grew up in a garrison community in St Andrew Jamaica The tools and resources are available how will you use them to build sustainability How will you transform your future I plan to equip people with the knowledge that change starts from within and I want them to be empowered with the understanding I am my greatest hope Your dreams are your own every step you take can either build those dreams or destroy them Create expectations of yourselves and soar beyond your wildest dreams This is why I do what I do Dr Leithea Williams grew up in St Andrew Jamaica and attended Wolmer s High School for Girls She moved to the U S with her family in 1994 and joined the Air Force in 1999 In 2015 she retired after 16 years of military service traveling around the world and working in various capacities During her Air Force career she worked as a budget analyst a financial manager a senior leader advisor an instructor and a curriculum designer While in the military Dr Williams received a bachelor s degree and a master s degree after retirement she completed a doctoral degree in business administration and started her own company Emergent Life Skills and Education Consulting LLC In her capacity as a Transition Coach Dr Williams assists her clients in finding a clear path to self actualization She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Project Safety Nets emergentlifeskillsandeducationconsulting com Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 57

Page 58

PTSD AND THE SILENT DID YOU KNOW THAT ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR PTSD WOMEN ARE MORE THAN TWICE AS LIKELY TO DEVELOP PTSD THAN MEN 10 FOR WOMEN AND 4 FOR MEN P TSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in female veterans is often overlooked especially if we were not in a combat zone I was diagnosed by my therapist after several years of seeing her for anxiety depression sleepless nights and severe periods of feeling impending dread Thankfully after a year of submitting my claim to the Veterans Administration VA for PTSD it was acknowledged that I did have PTSD and it was a result of not only a traumatic work environment but a hostile one as well I ve decided to share my story after I read about female veterans who took their precious lives by suicide According to a Military com article women veterans are 1 8 times more likely than civilian women to commit Suicide And women who do not use VA services have seen a 98 percent increase in suicide rates This is extremely disturbing to me as it should be for you Even though these are statistics that are easily recited by experts there is a woman mother daughter or wife who lost all hope in life and decided suicide was her only 58 option to escape her pain The sobering part of all of it is that I could have been included in these statistics There were times I wanted to simply stop breathing so my pain would go away In 1993 I was a young single mom with a one year old baby when I swore to protect and to defend my country I joined the Air Force in hopes of providing for myself and my daughter I did not know that being in the military would have a profound effect on my mental and physical health until recently I was excited about my assignment in labor and delivery I was ready to celebrate with parents as they welcomed their babies into Summer 2020 www AVOWMagazine com

Page 59

FEMALE VETERAN their families I had no idea about the toxic culture I was walking into On the outset I was constantly harassed by my female Non Commissioned Officer NCO She would taunt that she had the power to have my baby sent back to my parents if I did not do things she wanted me to do She signed me up to volunteer for things I had no time to do with a baby I was placed on 12hr night shifts which made securing childcare a nightmare I found a family child care provider on base whom I did not know to watch my daughter at night This caused severe sleep deprivation during the day because I was awake with her all day when I got off work Oftentimes I had to pay my child care provider late fees because my NCO felt the need to hold random briefings after our shift was over at 7am She would have an attitude when I picked my daughter up but all I could do is apologize This also negatively impacted my money I could tell my NCO took pleasure in mentally and emotionally torturing me I did not report her because I had no idea that I could Because I was an E3 I also received WIC and food stamps to supplement my income I was stressed and embarrassed every time I had to go to the grocery store because at that time WIC and foodstamps were coupons and you had to sign them at the register I saw the clerk and the people behind me judging me just because I had to use these services to survive PTSD neither affects only combat veterans nor does it affect only veterans who experienced military sexual trauma Those of us who worked under intensely stressful situations are living with it too Some of us worked BY TANYA BARNETT for NCOs and Commissioned Officers COs who unmercifully treated us harshly just because they could I also worked in a high risk labor and delivery unit We had an obstetrical ICU for the sickest of pregnant dependents and military members I witnessed countless mothers die during or after childbirth The trauma of doing CPR compressions on a woman you were just joking with and wishing well caused me to become physically ill at work After cleaning up and prepping their bodies and more times than not their baby s bodies for the morgue to pick them up I was free to go and vomit in the bathroom because duty came first There was never any counselling offered and if there was I knew nothing of it I would go home emotionally drained and devastated only to get a handful of hours of sleep since I CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 59 PRISCILLA DUPREEZ PTSD neither affects only combat veterans nor does it affect only veterans who experienced military sexual trauma

Page 60

But you don t look like a veteran still had to keep an eye on my energetic toddler I would cry for days and had no idea what was wrong with me I blamed myself for falling short and not being tough I hated that I would be aloof to my daughter and was not connecting with her I had no idea at that time that I was dealing with PTSD I simply knew that I was acting soft and had to get myself together I found myself often getting sick and eventually I contracted meningitis I lay in bed with my daughter sitting on my lap because I had no one to come and get her Thankfully my dad caught a redeye and was able to pick her up from the hospital the next morning In September 2019 I found myself in a hospital bed at 47yrs old with EKG leads and IVs sticking out of my body In a vulnerable position I had to take stock of my life I m a young mom wife grandmother daughter sister and friend at that yet it all was a blur in a matter of seconds I didn t know who I was where I was or what was going on I woke up in the ER in a CAT Scan machine with doctors trying to rule out a stroke I couldn t talk or move and was terrified I was frozen in my own body I don t remember much only what my husband tells me He told me with all seriousness that I did indeed have a stroke I could not believe it I do remember thinking What if I hadn t recovered What would that have been like for me my family the people I care about How would I be able to serve veterans with my full heart I sometimes cry about how I was grinding so hard for everyone else but left nothing for me even though I preach self care That incident opened my eyes I was not managing my mental health at all I decided to see a therapist who would be 100 percent honest with me I wanted one who would hold me accountable to improving my life I do not want to die I want to live and I know I can do it if I am honest about the PTSD I m currently under the care of two neurologists a cardiologist and an amazing therapist I am able to talk and walk but I still have some moments of vertigo and memory loss I am sharing all of this because I am tired of hiding the fact that I live with PTSD behind the veneer of being a strong woman According to a recent 13 year study published in the American Heart Association MARIA LYSENKO 60 Summer 2020 www AVOWMagazine com

Page 61

PAULETTE WOOTEN Inc Journal PTSD is associated with increased risk for early incident TIA and ischemic stroke in young and middle aged veterans I was floored when I started reading about the connection between PTSD and adverse health issues I am making it part of my duty to no longer be silent about living with PTSD I am committed to educating people about PTSD and the woman veteran After all when I tell people I am a veteran I receive the proverbial But you don t look like a veteran I want to use my voice to help other women veterans seek help It is not too late I see a therapist weekly and I also take medication to manage the depression I still have my moments of despair but I can notice it and tell my husband who will help me find ways to cope until they pass I m just asking you to self reflect and to be honest with yourself If you need assistance get it I ve used the Veteran Crisis Line several times when I did not feel I have anything else to live for after my stroke Call them at 1 800 273 8255 and Press 1 or text to 838255 They provide free confidential support for Veterans in crisis and their families and friends Together we can survive PTSD and ensure we don t become the next number in the suicide statistics RESOURCES Henricks Thomas K Hunter K 2019 August 16 Why women veterans are more likely than civilian women to commit suicide Military com https www militarytimes com education transition 2019 08 14 why women veterans are 250 more likely than civilian women to commit suicide PTSD N C for 2013 August 15 PTSD National Center for PTSD Home https www ptsd va gov Rosman L Lindsey Rosman Correspondence to Lindsey Rosman Sico J J Jason J Sico Department of Internal Medicine Lampert R Rachel Lampert Department of Internal Medicine Al E 2019 October 17 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Risk for Stroke in Young and Middle Aged Adults Stroke https www ahajournals org doi 10 1161 STROKEAHA 119 026854 U S Department of Veterans Affairs VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention 2018 VA National Suicide Data Report 2005 2016 VA National Suicide Data Report 2005 2016 https www mentalhealth va gov docs data sheets OMHSP_National_ Suicide_Data_Report_2005 2016_508 pdf Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 Tanya Barnett is a disabled Air Force veteran anti racist womanist women veterans advocate LGBTQIA ally and an adjunct professor Barnett served at Lackland Air Force Base in Wilford Hall Medical Center from 1993 1997 as an Intensive Care Unit Labor and Delivery Technician shere she also worked in the Operating Room the ER and the surgical clinic She and her husband founded Forever Free Books in 2014 and continued the nonprofit through 2020 to reduce the 30 million word gap between low income children and their wealthy counterparts where they delivered free books and conducted story time to low income children in their communities Barnett has been featured on OWNTV Essence Magazine Huffington Post The Today Show Tom Joyner Morning Show TEDx Johns Hopkins University NAACP Congressional Black Caucus Blacks in Government FBI EPA Federally Employed Women Good Morning Washington Great Day Washington etc The award winning self published author of Being a Wife Just Got Real Things I Wish I Knew Before I Said I Do You Need it I Got It Conversations with Global Entrepreneurs on Growing Your Audience Visibility Influence and Today s History Makers 21st Century African American Female Entrepreneurs Barnett is currently an MA candidate at George Washington University in Public Policy Women Gender and Sexuality Studies She is a 2x marathoner 2x triathlete an African American historical fiction lover wife mom and GLAM ma 61

Page 62

EDITOR S CHOICE Though we re a women veteran s magazine and we re proud to present content by and for women veterans there are times when we come across words that take our breath away Below is a statement from one of our readers Brian R Mccoy from a social media post he made around Veterans Day 2018 He shared it with us near Veterans Day 2019 SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE WOMEN DO NOT REALLY BELONG IN COMBAT I was in a unit that was a mix of about 50 50 male female From our unit we had one soldier the night of deployment hide in the bathroom of the gym and cried to get out of going to Iraq We had one soldier go AWOL after 2 or 3 months into our deployment and we had one soldier that flat out refused to perform their duties or even set foot into the tower as a tower guard on a night where intel said we might come under attack All three were males Every woman I served with in Iraq held their own and performed every duty that was expected of their male counterparts at times even outperforming them Our first purple heart earned there was a female soldier Two of the three awards given for acts of valor in combat were females It saddens me that some soldiers feel that they are not appreciated or given the recognition their male counterparts are given It is part of our culture where when you mention a doctor people always assume male also like policeman fireman and so on It can swing both ways I remember many times I would hear Hey Doctor and I would have to reply No I am your nurse May God Bless you all and Happy Veterans day When I contacted Mr Mccoy across sacrifices they made serving their coun his uplifting words he was quick to re No one can state any more clearly social media to ask if we could share try Thank you for what you do spond No problem It was a post I made than Mr Mccoy what women veterans and promoting women veterans They re also offered to connect us with a couple last year Thank you for bringing attention ally are overlooked way too much Many had my back during my military career and I will never forget that My unit was the medical unit that took care of the mess tent bombing in Mosul Iraq in 2004 My motivation was to bring awareness to people I knew when I noticed one of my battle buddies was feeling left out for her service and that hurt me too No one should ever feel unappreciated for their 62 If anyone takes the time to read this please tomorrow on Veterans Day please reach out and make an effort to thank all of them and thank them for their service and sacrifices I know many women did not serve to gain praise or recognition but they earned it To all my brothers and sisters in the 67th CSH I hope you all are safe with loved ones and thanks for having my back and helping me make it out of Iraq alive mean to those who served with them He of the very women veterans in his unit that he speaks of So while I ll share his words here please find among the pages of this issue his comrades stories as well Thank you Mr Mccoy for bringing awareness to and uplifting the voice of your fellow service sisters Sheila L Holmes Editor in Chief AVOW Magazine Summer 2020 www AVOWMagazine com

Page 63

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 agencies vets womenveterans The Women Veteran Program monitors the employment situation of women veterans to ensure DOL VETS programs serve women veterans and male veterans equitably aapf org black women veterans 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 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 minorityvets org Minority Veterans of America The primary underrepresented groups that MVA serves are veterans of color womxn LGBTQ and religious and non religious minorities We believe that through bringing these four minority groups together we can build a veteran community that encompasses veterans from a wide range of diverse backgrounds and experiences SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook com groups servicewhenwomencome marchinghome Facebook com groups VeteransFederalJobsGlobal Facebook com VeteranWomenSEC Facebook com AmericanWomenVeterans Facebook com WomenVeteransAlliance PHONE NUMBERS Searchable directories for women veterans Organizations womenveteransalliance org allies Resources womenveteransalliance org resources Women vet owned businesses womenveteransalliance org women veteran owned business directory Women Veterans Call Center WVCC veteranwomensec org Stop Soldier Suicide To position women veteran business owners Active Duty Reservist and or military spouses as our nation s leading small business revenue generators and employers calvet ca gov calvet programs women veterans The mission of the CalVet division for Women Veterans Affairs is to provide information advocacy outreach and support to Women Veterans and their families Facebook com AVOWMagazine Summer 2020 855 829 6636 National Suicide Hotline 1 800 273 TALK 8255 IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU MAY HARM YOURSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE please contact the Crisis Lifeline at 1 800 273 8255 Press 1 for veterans text 838255 call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency room 63

Page 64

S e r ve Honor Emp owe r American Women Veterans Foundation generations of powerful and inspiring women believes that women have always been the We strive to Serve Honor and Empower catalyst for change within our homes our women from all branches of service with a communities and the world We envision a continued sense of pride and community society in which the legacy of America s service which enables them to continue to servicewomen veterans and their families reach their full potential and contribute as is celebrated and carried on to future they always have in making America stronger American Women Veterans is the nation s preeminent non partisan 501 c 3 non profit 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 A M E R IC A NWOM EN V ET ER A N S ORG Shop and Supp or t AW VG E A R C OM