Honoring Service & Sacrifice
TheFlagpole
Spring2013
Female Firsts:
Trailblazers in the U.S. Army
AlwaysthehighlightoftheHallofFameLuncheon
istheintroductionoftheHallofFameInductees.
InkeepingwiththetraditionofinductingArmy
womenandgroupsofwomenthathaveblazedthe
trail for those behind them, the Foundation
selected “Female Firsts: Women Who Broke
Barriers.”ThisyeartheFoundationposthumously
inducted Sergeant Major Carolyn James and
CommandSergeantMajorYzettaNelson,thefirst
female Sergeant Major and the first female
Command Sergeant Major, respectively. Also
honored was General (Ret) Ann Dunwoody, the
firstfemalefour-stargeneral.Inadditiontothe
individualhonorees,theFoundationrecognized
theaccomplishmentsandextraordinaryserviceof
theWomenWhoServedintheKoreanWar.
TheNewsletteroftheU.S.ArmyWomen’sFoundation
President’s Message
With pride, I can report to you that we have had
anothersuccessfulsixmonthssincemylastupdateto
you. We continue to expand our outreach
opportunitiesandthustheworkoftheFoundation.
WearehelpingmoreArmywomenandtheirchildren
fulfill their education goals. We are building more
relationships with corporate America, and we
continue to strengthen our relationships with our
fellowmilitarygroupswhoshareourprinciples.
Noneofthisispossiblewithoutyoursupport,andI
amtrulygratefulforit.
Afewweeksago,duringWomen’sHistoryMonth,we
heldourannualWomeninTransitionSymposiumand
HallofFameLuncheoninWashington,D.C.Itwasa
wonderful event. We appreciate the support of our
sponsors, guest speakers, panel members,
participants,andourstaff.
With our board’s strong support, we expanded the
number and types of scholarships we awarded.
Nineteen Army women and ten of their children
receivedhelptoadvancetheireducation.Forthefirst
time, scholarships were awarded for certificate
programs.
MG (Ret) Dee McWilliams, USA,
General (Ret) Ann E. Dunwoody, USA,
Fred Wacker, Director & COO, The Home Depot
Foundation as General Dunwoody accepts the
AWF Hall of Fame award.
SergeantMajorCarolynJames(1910-1991)joined
theArmyin1945.In1952,shewasoneofthefirst
WACsassignedtoKoreaduringthewar.Duringher
tourinKorea,shewasthesecretarytoGen.James
VanFleet,commanderofthe8thArmyforces.They
bothservedunderthecommandofGeneralofthe
ArmyDouglasMacArthur.SGMJamesbecamethe
firstintheWACpromotedtogradeE-8.Therefore,
shewasthefirstWACpromotedtomastersergeant
(orfirstsergeant).In1960,shewasthefirstWAC
promotedtosergeantmajor,E-9,whileassignedto
Headquarters,U.S.ArmyAirDefenseCommand,
ColoradoSprings.ShediedMay8,1991inColorado
Springs,Colorado.
Command Sergeant Major Yzetta Nelson (19232011)faithfullyservedhercountryfor26years.In
1968,whileassignedtotheWACTrainingBattalion,
she became the first WAC to achieve the rank of
CommandSergeantMajor.Uponretirementfrom
the military, she continued her involvement and
leadershipintheWomen'sArmyCorps.Shedied
May14,2011atBrooklynCenter,Minnesota.
Sergeant Major of the Army (Ret) Ken Preston
acceptedtheawardonbehalfofSGMJamesand
CSM Nelson. SMA Preston served as the 13th
SergeantMajoroftheArmyandisdistinguishedas
beingthelongestservingSMAwithmorethanseven
yearsintheposition.
VolumeLXIVNo.1
Our symposium panelists shared sound, practical
advice about transitioning to jobs in or out of the
Army.OurHallofFameluncheonhonoredwomen
who broke barriers and the women who served in
Korea, often called the “Forgotten War.” We paid
tributetothesesoldiersjustdaysafterthepassingof
the last surviving female POW from World War II,
MildredDaltonManning.AnArmynurse,shewasone
ofthe“AngelsofBataanandCorregidor.”
Thestoriesofthesebraveandaccomplishedwomen
underscore the importance of the Foundation’s
mission:tohonorwomenwhoservedintheArmyand
preservetheirhistory.Tothatend,wearefollowing
theadviceofalong-timefriend.
GeneralAnnDunwoodywasthefirstwomaninU.S.
militaryanduniformedservicehistorytoachievea
four-starofficerrank,receivingherfourthstaron
November14,2008.
In2005,GenDunwoodybecametheArmy'stoprankingfemalewhenshereceivedthepromotionto
lieutenantgeneralandbecametheArmy'sDeputy
ChiefofStaff,G-4(logistics).Shewasnominatedas
Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel
Command,byPresidentGeorgeW.BushonJune
23,2008,andconfirmedbytheSenateonemonth
later. On November 14, 2008, Gen Dunwoody
becamethefirstwomaninU.S.militaryhistoryto
achieve the rank of four-star General. Her
promotionceremonywasheldatthePentagon,with
introductoryspeechesbyU.S.SecretaryofDefense
Robert Gates and Army Chief of Staff General
GeorgeW.Casey. (continued on page 4)
Atourinauguralsymposiumfouryearsago,Lt.Gen.
(Ret) John “Mike” McDuffie emphasized the
importanceofnetworkingtofurtherone’sreachand
advanceacareer.HewasaddressingagroupofArmy
womenwhoweretransitioningtootherjobsorwould
do so in the future. We applied that advice on an
organizationalleveltofurthertheFoundation’sreach.
Wearegrowingandleveragingourrelationships.
Lastfall,forexample,wesupportedtheArmyNurse
Corps Association at their October meeting in San
Antonio.WeagainexhibitedattheAssociationofthe
US Army annual meeting and convention. We
continueoursupporttotheArmyWomen’sMuseum
atFortLeeandprovidefinancialsupportforspecific
projects they need. Our corporate relationships
continuetogrowandthisyearwehavebegunbuilding
arelationshipwiththeWaltDisneyCo.
Nowisaparticularlyexcitingtimeforwomeninthe
military.Theywillbeabletocompeteforawiderarray
of jobs and leadership positions. Women will be
officiallyrecognizedforwhattheyhavebeendoingfor
centuries:defendingournation.
As Gen. (Ret.) Gordon Sullivan reminded us at the
Hall of Fame luncheon, British General Lord
Cornwallis recognized the contributions of women
over 230 years ago, when he observed, “We may
destroyallthemeninAmerica,andweshallstillhave
allwecandotodefeatthewomen.”
WarmestRegards,
DeeAnnMcWilliams
MG,USA(Ret)
President,ArmyWomen’sFoundation
Inside This Edition
President’sMessage
1
FemaleFirsts
1
FromtheExecutiveDirector
2
FacesoftheFallen
2
BronzeMemorialPlaque
2
LikeUsonFacebook
2
5thAnnualArmyWomen
inTransitionSymposium
3
5thAnnualHallofFameAwardLuncheon
4
LegacyScholarships
5
UpcomingEvents
6
Giving
6
1
Spring2013
TheFlagpole
Faces of the Fallen
SGT Donna R. Johnson
CPT Sara M. Knutson Cullen
SPC Brittany B. Gordon
Sergeant Donna R.
Johnson, 29, of
Raeford, NC died
October 1, 2012 in
Khost, Afghanistan
along with two other
soldiers of injuries
suffered when an
insurgentdetonateda
suicidevestwhilethey
were on dismounted
patrol. They were all assigned to the 514th
MilitaryPoliceCompany,60thTroopCommand,
Winterville,NC.
Captain Sara M.
KnutsonCullen,27,of
Eldersburg, MD, died
March 11, 2013 in
Kandahar,Afghanistan.
She was among five
crew members killed
when their UH-60
BlackHawkhelicopter
crashed while on a
trainingmissionusing
night vision goggles. A sudden storm and
powerfulwindsarebelievedtobewhatbrought
theirchopperdown.
Specialist Brittany B.
Gordon, 24, of St.
Petersburg, FL. Died
October 13, 2012 in
Kandahar,Afghanistan,
of wounds suffered
when enemy forces
attackedherunitwith
animproviseddevice.
She was assigned to
the 572 Military
Intelligence Company, 2nd Stryker Brigade
CombatTeam,2ndInfantryDivision,JointBase
Lewis-McChord,Washington.
She was assigned to Headquarters and
Headquarters Company, 3rd Combat Aviation
Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Hunter Army
Airfield,GA.
Afterhighschool,Gordon,whohadexpressed
aninterestinpoliticalscienceandlaw,spenta
yearattheUniversityofFloridabeforesetting
hersightsonamilitarycareer.Herdreamwas
to serve because she wanted to make a
difference.Shegraduatedfrombasictraining
in2010andspentayearinSeattlebeforegoing
toAfghanistan.
A total of 14 people, including an Afghan
translator and 4 Afghan police officers, were
killedintheattack,whenasuicidebomberdrove
his explosive-laden motorcycle into a crowd
whereajointU.S.-Afghanpatrolwasoperating.
ThreeAmericansoldiersandabout60Afghan
civilianswerereportedtohavebeenwoundedin
theattack.TheTalibancontactedtheWestern
mediaafterwardstotakecreditforthecarnage.
SGT Johnson joined the North Carolina Army
National Guard in 2006. She had previously
deployedtoIraqfrom2007to2008.StaffSgt.
Johnson'sawardsanddecorationsincludedthe
BronzeStarMedalposthumous,thePurpleHeart
posthumous,ArmyCommendationMedal,Army
GoodConductMedal,NationalDefenseService
Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with
BronzeServiceStar,IraqCampaignMedalwith
Bronze Service Star, Global War on Terrorism
ServiceMedal,ArmedForcesReserveMedalwith
M Device, 2, Noncommissioned Officers
ProfessionalDevelopmentRibbon,ArmyService
Ribbon,OverseasServiceRibbon,NATOMedal
posthumous,NorthCarolinaMeritoriousService
Medal posthumous, 1, Combat Action Badge,
DriverandMechanicBadge,Bar,Driver-W(for
wheeled vehicles), Combat and Special Skill
Badge Basic Marksmanship Qual Badge, Bar,
Weapon: Rifle (Inscription: Rifle), Expert,
OverseasServiceBar,2.
Donnaleavesbehindherspouse,TracyJoeDice
ofRaeford;parents,Mr.PhilasRayJohnsonand
Mrs.SandraGuitonJohnsonofRaeford;sister,
ReneAnneJohnsonAlbattrawiofRaeford;and
godchildren,JasonandHanna. «
Bronze Memorial
Plaque
TheBronzeMemorialPlaqueprogramoffersthe
opportunity to permanently honor deceased
membersoftheArmedForces,theirfriendsand
family,andthefallenheroesofcurrentconflicts
byplacingtheirnameonabronzeplaquethatis
locatedattheU.S.ArmyWomen’sMuseumat
FortLee,Virginia.Donationsinanyamountare
welcome and will be held until the required
minimumof$100fortheindividualisreached.
The plaques are cast bi-annually, and once
completed, all proceeds from the Bronze
MemorialPlaqueprogramwillbeusedtofurther
themissionoftheArmyWomen’sFoundation
and its programs. We are currently accepting
names and contributions for Plaque XVII and
willcontinuetothroughDecember31,2014.«
2
Capt.Knutson,a2003graduateofLibertyHigh
SchoolinEldersburg,wasalawstudentatWest
PointandwasalsoamemberoftheJudoteam.
She married a former Black Hawk pilot in
November 2012 and had been serving in
Afghanistanfortwomonths.Saramadeitclear
toherfamilythatshedidn’tjointheArmytosit
behindadesk.Shewantedtoflyhelicoptersorbe
anMP.HerMotherreceivedanemailfromher
thenightofthecrashsaying“Gottogomom,got
togofly”.
SheissurvivedbyhermotherBrendaGordon,
and her father, St. Petersburg Assistant Police
ChiefCedricGordon. «
Areyoupartofthesocialmedia
craze?Ifso,becomeafanofthe
ArmyWomen’sFoundationpage
on Facebook! We hope to hear
fromyousoon!
Sheissurvivedbyherhusband,Christopher,and
herparentsBillandLynnKnutson. «
From The Executive Director
The general public rarely has the opportunity to
speakwithwomenintoday’sArmy.Armywomen
remainamysterytomostpeople.Wearetryingto
changethat,toputa“face”onArmywomen.
We recently had a wonderful opportunity to let
peopleseewhatbeinganArmywomanmeans.The
Disney/ESPNCorporationusedaSpringTraining
baseballgameattheWideWorldofSportscomplex
inOrlandotohonormilitaryservice.Wewereone
of three non-profits invited to participate in this
firsteventofitskind.OurPresident,MajorGeneral
(Ret) Dee McWilliams joined with Active duty,
Reservists,Guard,Veteransandtheirfamiliesfrom
acrosstheareaattendedtowatchtheBravesbeat
theAstrosinatightgame.
Thanks to 1st Vice President CSM (Ret) Cindy
Pritchett,ourinformationtableinsidetheStadium
wasstaffedbyeightsoldiersfromtheOrlandoarea.
Thevolunteers,allenlistedsoldiers,willinglyand
readily gave up their Saturday to represent the
ArmyWomen’sFoundation,andtotelltheirstories.
Thesewomenrepresentthewomenintoday’sArmy.
Standingtall,confidentandproudoftheirservice
intheArmy,theywereanimpressivegroup.They
sharedtheirexperienceswithDisneystaffandthe
publicwhostoppedbyourtable.Theyspokewith
parentswhowantedtointroducetheirdaughtersto
them.Theytrulyputafaceonwomenservingtoday.
Andyet,whenaskedwhythesewomenjoinedthe
Army, their answers are very similar to the
responses we received when we conducted a
research study in partnership with George Mason
University several years ago. In that study, Army
womenwereaskedwhytheyjoinedtheArmy.And
thenumberonereasonwasto“servemycountry.”
The second reason was to get an education. The
responses I heard were the same. All of the
volunteersweremotivatedbypatriotism;andmany
weretaking,orhadtaken,advantageofeducational
programsintheArmy.Onewasworkingonacollege
degree and others had obtained them. The Army
womenwhoservedinpastyearslaidtheFoundation
for Army women of today, just as today’s Army
womenaredoingforthefuture.Thosepeoplewho
spokewithCSMPritchett’svolunteerswillnotsoon
forgetthem.Therewasnoquestionthatthevisitors
wentawaywithnewappreciationforthededication
andcompetenceofwomenintheArmy.
WherevertheFoundationgoes,wewanttotellthe
storiesofArmywomenandwewanttoputa“face”
on the women who serve. The Army Women’s
Foundationisheretohelpspreadthewordabout
theserviceandsacrificeofArmywomen.Mission
accomplishedinOrlando!Hooah!
PeggyTrossen
ExecutiveDirector
TheNewsletteroftheU.S.ArmyWomen’sFoundation
VolumeLXIVNo.1
5th Annual Army Women in Transition Symposium
Re-Focusing Your Future!
Members,supportersandguestsoftheU.S.Army
Women’s Foundation gathered in Washington,
D.C.,onMarch12tocelebratethecontributions
women have made to the military and to look
towardtheirfutureprospects.
Thestoriestheysharedre-enforcedthepatriotic
fabricofthenationthatwomenhelpedtoweave,
and highlighted still more opportunities for
womeninmilitaryandcivilianjobs.
TheArmyWomen’sFoundationwelcomedabout
200 participants to its 5th Annual Symposium
andHallofFameawardsandluncheonheldinthe
stately Cannon Caucus Room in the Cannon
HouseOfficeBuildingonCapitolHill.
Each year, during Women’s History Month, the
Foundation presents its annual Army Women in
Transition symposium, and honors the
contributions and achievements of women who
serveintheArmybyinductingaselectfewintothe
Foundation’s Hall of Fame. This year’s Hall of
Fameinducteesincludedthewomenwhoservedin
theKoreanWarand“femalefirsts”Gen.(Ret.)Ann
Dunwoody; and posthumous honors to Sergeant
Major Carolyn James, the first female sergeant
major, and Command Sergeant Major Yzetta
Nelson,thefirstfemaleCommandSergeantMajor.
TheFoundationalsoawardsscholarshipstohelp
Armywomenandtheirchildrenfurtherprepare
for their careers in or out of the military. This
year, the Foundation awarded 29 scholarships,
morescholarshipsthaniteverhasbefore,andit
expandedthelistofeligibleprogramstoinclude
certificate programs. Sponsorships from
businesses,theFoundation’sBoardofDirectors,
the Association of the US Army, MG (Ret.) Jan
Edmunds, and institutes of higher education
helpedtofundtheeventandprograms.
Whileitistraditionthatthesymposiumoccursin
March,thisyearisuniquebecausethePentagon
haslifteditspolicythatprohibitedwomenfrom
serving in direct combat roles. Over the next
severalyears,thiswillpresentmoreopportunities
for women in the military. At the same time,
however,themilitarywilldownsize.
LieutenantGeneralHoward
B.Bromberg,DeputyChief
of Staff, G-1, US Army,
deliveredkeynotespeechat
thesymposium.Foundation
President Maj. Gen. (Ret.)
Dee Ann McWilliams, said
Lt.Gen.Bromberghasthe
reputation as “a soldier’s
soldier.”
Lt.Gen.Brombergrecounted Lt. General Howard
Bromberg, Deputy
thecontributionsofwomen,
Chief of Staff,
from Deborah Samson’s
G-1, US Army
military service in the
ContinentalArmyduringtheAmericanRevolutionary
War, to the heroic efforts of current era soldiers,
includingSilverStarrecipientsLeighAnnHesterand
MonicaBrown.
The common thread dating back to 1776 to the
present is one of service and sacrifice, where
womenputtheneedsoftheirfellowcountrymen
first,Lt.Gen.Brombergsaid.
Thethemeforthisyear’sArmyWomeninTransition
symposiumwasRe-Focusing Your Future!
Transition,saidsymposiummoderator,MG(Ret.)
DonnaBarbisch,isaboutchange.Lifeischanging,
and we can let it happen to us, or we can take
steps to shape the outcome. Ending the combat
exclusion rule may or may not affect a soldier’s
career.TheendofcombatintheMiddleEastmay
change opportunities. Education can make a
differencetotheindividualandtheworld,shesaid.
The symposium consisted of two panels that
examinedthemilitaryandcivilianopportunities
availabletowomenwhoserveintheArmy,and
howthosewomencaninfluencetheirfutures.As
CW5 Phyllis Wilson, command chief warrant
officeroftheArmyReservesaid,“Changesareon
thehorizonforwomeninthemilitary.Thosewith
talent … and drive will only be limited by their
enthusiasm.”
CW5 Phyllis Wilson, Command Chief
Warrant Officer of the Army Reserve
Panel 1, “The Choice is Yours … Or Is It?”
addressed how to adjust to and impact
organizationalchanges.
Servicemembersshouldbeginpreparingtomove
to a civilian career long before they anticipate
leaving the military. Searching for jobs in
companies that share their values, such as
teamwork,canleadtosuccess.Servicemembers,
however,mustbepreparedforthepossibilityof
reduced income in civilian jobs when they first
joinacompany.One0-6,forexample,earnsless
asacivilianforperformingthesamejobshehad
asanArmyofficer.
n The VOW Act has been helpful in that it
requires the services to better prepare military
members to transition to civilian employment.
Even soldiers who have committed to a civilian
employerstilltakepartintheArmy’smandatory
transitionprogram.Theprogramhelpssoldiers
write resumes, network, learn to market
themselvesandbuildtheirskills.
n Many companies want to hire veterans but
don’talwaysknowhowtofindthejobcandidates.
There are a number of resources to connect
veterans to prospective employers, including
DoD’sHero2Hiredwebsite,(https://h2h.jobs),
whereemployerscanpostjobopeningsonthesite.
n Some companies that have made a strategic
effort to hire veterans have Human Resources
programs that reflect an understanding of the
qualifications of military members and the
uniquenessofmilitaryservice.
n Successful programs exist to help prepare
troopsforcivilianjobs.Onesuchprogramiswith
the American pipefitters union, which offers
coursestotroopsatsomemilitaryinstallationsto
preparetroopsforjobsasjourneymen.
Panel 1: Moderator MG (Ret) Donna Barbisch, USAR;
Capt. Elise Hackstall, USAR, Walmart;
COL R. Jean Whalen, AN, Warrior Transition;
CW5 Phyllis Wilson, Command Chief
Warrant Officer of the Army Reserve
Panel 2, “In or Out, Landing On Your Feet,”
addressedhowtomapandmanageacareerinthe
militaryorintheciviliansector.
AtthestartoftheHallofFameinductionsthat
followedthesymposium,Gen.(Ret.)GordonR.
Sullivan,presidentandchiefexecutiveofficerof
the Association of the United States Army, said
thatthroughoutthenation’shistory,womenhave
contributedtheirtalentsandgiventheirlivesfor
theircountry.
Women rose to the challenge in intelligence,
aviation, command and other jobs during war
andpeace.
“Ithasn’tbeeneasy,”hesaid.“Youneedtoknow
thatpeoplelikemevalueyoursacrificesforyour
country…Beingasoldierisnoteasyforanybody.”
Panel 2: Moderator MG (Ret) Donna Barbisch, USAR;
Jennifer Poythress and LaShon Wilson of BPW
Joining Forces Mentoring Plus; Beryle Stipe,
Home Depot; COL (Ret) Kevin Preston,
The Walt Disney Company
The dedication of women to this country was
apparenteventoourenemiesatthebirthofthe
nation, Sullivan said, when British General
Charles Cornwallis commented during the
RevolutionaryWar,“‘Wemaydestroyallthemen
inAmerica,andweshallstillhaveallwecandoto
defeatthewomen.’”«
Presenters shared common thoughts on several
keypoints:
n Liftingthepolicythatexcludeswomenfrom
combat arms will create more career
opportunities,butwhetherornotthechangein
policy affects each woman will depend on her
militaryoccupation.Atthesametimethatmore
opportunitieswillemergeforwomen,theArmy
will reduce its total number of personnel. The
downsizing will be conducted in an organized
manner to maintain a quality force. Panelists
encouraged soldiers to seek mentors and
leadership roles while in the military and when
theytransitiontothecivilianworkforce.
The panelists of the 5th Annual
Army Women in Transition Symposium
n Plan! Plan! Plan! At some point, every
memberofthemilitarywillleaveservice,either
throughdemobilization,separationorretirement.
3
Spring2013
TheFlagpole
Highlights and Notable Quotes
AWF Recognizes
Congressman Randy Forbes
The Army Women’s Foundation honored
Congressman J. Randy Forbes at a ceremony on
CapitolHillonMarch12.
During a networking break between the annual
symposium and the Hall of Fame luncheon, the
FoundationrecognizedForbes’longtimesupportof
theArmyWomen’sFoundationandtheUSmilitary.
Peggy Trossen, Executive Director, AWF
Leon Harris, News Anchor,
ABC 7/WJLA-TV Washington D.C.
“It’s far bigger than I think many of you
realize.” —CongressmanJ.RandyForbes,
R-Va.ontheworkoftheFoundation.
“Changes are on the horizon for women
in the military. Those with talent … and
drive will only be limited by their
enthusiasm.” —ChiefWarrantOfficer5
PhyllisWilson,CommandChiefWarrant
OfficeroftheArmyReserve,commentingon
futureopportunitiesforwomen.
General Gordon Sullivan, USA (Ret),
former Chief of Staff of the Army and
President of the Association of the U.S. Army
“We’re not going to put women or males
in positions where they are not set up for
success.” — LTGHowardBromberg,Deputy
ChiefofStaff,ArmyG-1,describingthe
organizedprocessofopeningnewcombatjobs
towomen.
“Our Army women did it without thanks,
they did it without awards, and they did
it in an increasingly hostile environment
with mixed messages coming from home
– in a land that most Americans had
never heard of, Korea.” —FredWacker,
Director&COO,TheHomeDepotFoundation,acknowledgingthesupportand
medicalcareArmywomenprovidedtoUS
troopsintheKoreanWar.
MG Dee McWilliams, USA (Ret) and Fred Wacker,
Director & COO, The Home Depot Foundation, and
Retired Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth Preston
accepting the Hall of Fame Award on behalf of
deceased CSM Yzetta Nelson and SGM Carolyn Jones
“Find your passion; have an unwavering
belief in yourself; work hard; and maybe
most importantly, always do the right
thing for the right reason.” —General
(Ret.)AnnDunwoody,thefirstfemale4-star,
offeringadviceforsuccess.
Female Firsts: Trailblazers in the U.S. Army
She acknowledged today’s active duty force
opportunitiesandchallenges,givingthemthisadvice,
“Find your passion; have an unwavering belief in
yourself; work hard; and maybe most importantly,
alwaysdotherightthingfortherightreason.”
Amongherothernotablefirsts,shebecamethefirst
womantocommandabattalioninthe82ndAirborne
Divisionin1992.ShebecameFortBragg’sfirstfemale
generalofficerin2000.Shebecamethefirstwomanto
commandtheCombinedArmsSupportCommandat
Fort Lee, Virginia in 2004. Gen Dunwoody retired
fromtheArmyonAugust15,2012.
Inheracceptancespeech,GenDunwoodythankedthe
Foundationfortherecognitionandinduction,shesaid
shewas“humbledtobejoiningsuchadistinguished
groupofPatriots…”Sherecognizedthe“incredible
cohortofwomen”whocameintotheArmyatthesame
timeshedid,manyofwhomwereintheroomasthey
were the brand new group of 2nd Lieutenants that
werethefirsttoleadintegratedplatoons.
Gen Dunwoody also thanked the “generations of
incrediblewomenwhowentbeforeusastheysetthe
conditionsandenforcedthestandardsthatledtothe
4
Forbes, a Republican who represents Chesapeake,
Virginia,chairstheSeapowerandProjectionForces
Subcommittee of the House Armed Services
Committee.Hecalledforgreatersupportofmilitary
members and an end to the defense budget
reductions. Those reductions started even before
sequestrationandendangerservicemembers,hesaid.
Thecongressmancalledforalargerdefensebudgetso
thatnomanorwomanshouldbesentintoharm’sway
unless they are properly resourced, trained and
equippedsothattheyhavethehighestchancepossible
that they will return home. He said, too, that the
countrymustkeepitspromisestoveterans.
CongressmanForbescomplimentedtheFoundation’s
work,saying,“It’sfarbiggerthanIthinkmanyofyou
realize.”«
BG (Ret) Gary Profit, Senior Director Military
Programs, Walmart, Randy Forbes, Congressman
from the Fourth District of VA, MG (Ret) Dee
McWilliams, and LTG (Ret) Mike McDuffie, Microsoft
(continued from page 1)
opportunitiesthatweenjoytoday.Youhavegivenall
womenwhoseektoservetheircountryagiftbeyond
measure—thegiftofunlimitedopportunity.”
Hall of Fame Awards
Thecongressmanhasbeenaforcefuladvocateofa
strong national defense and is a leading voice in
calling for the end of defense budget cuts that are
knownassequestration.Thecutswererequiredunder
law that Congress passed in 2011. He also has
consistentlysecuredthespacefortheFoundation’s
annual symposium and luncheon in the Cannon
HouseOfficeBuilding.
GenDunwoodyreflectedonthefactthatshewasnot
really ready for the enormity of the event of her
promotiontoGeneraluntilthebarrageofcardsand
letters started to arrive. She received letters from
peopleofallagesandwalksoflifestatinghowhappy
theywerethatthedayhadfinallyarrivedfortheArmy
topromoteawomantotheirhighestgrade.Sheread
a portion of a letter she received from a Master
SergeantshehadservedwithatFortBragg.Itsaid
“Nowyougettopinonournation’shighestmilitary
rank and I get to tell my five and seven year-old
daughtersthattheyreallycanbeanythingtheywant
tobe—evenageneralintheUnitedStatesArmy.”
Sheconcludedherremarksbythankingeveryoneagain
andbyaskingtheaudiencetoprayforthedeployed
menandwomenfortheirsuccessandsafereturn.
Finally, Major General (Ret) Dee McWilliams,
PresidentoftheArmyWomen’sFoundation,accepted
thehonoronbehalfoftheWomenWhoServedinthe
KoreanWar.BrigadierGeneral(Ret)AnnaMaeHays
wasscheduledtoreceivethehonoronbehalfofher
Korean War counterparts, but could not be in
attendance the day of the ceremony. During the
KoreanWar,BGHaysmobilizedwiththe4thField
Hospital in 1950 and participated in the notorious
Inchonlanding.OnJune11,1970,shebecamethefirst
womanandfirstnurseinAmericanmilitaryhistoryto
attaingeneralofficerrank.Sheretiredin1971.
MG Dee McWilliams, USA (Ret), President, AWF
Thisyear’sinductionoftheArmyWomenWhoServed
the Korean War marks the 60th anniversary of the
conflict. Although this conflict is often called “the
forgottenwar,”itmarkedaturningpointforAmerican
Servicewomen as they gained increasingly higher
positionsandservedclosetothefrontlines.«
TheNewsletteroftheU.S.ArmyWomen’sFoundation
VolumeLXIVNo.1
2013 AWF Legacy Scholarship Winners
TheFoundation’sLegacyScholarshipprogramrecognizes
theimportanceofeducationbyprovidingfinancialsupport
towardunder-graduatedegreestoArmywomenandtheir
lineal descendents. Scholarships are based on merit,
academicpotential,communityserviceandneedandare
evaluatedbytheAWFScholarshipCommittee.Formore
information,visitwww.awfdn.org.
Twenty-nine deserving Army women and their children,
selectedfromanapplicantpoolfromacrossthecountry,
received the Army Women’s Foundation 2013 Legacy
Scholarship. College tuition is on the rise and financial
resources are declining, making scholarships even more
critical to students today. The Legacy Scholarships are
available for tuition assistance at the community college
level or four year academic institutions: Community
College/Certificate Program Legacy Scholarships are
awarded in amounts up to $1,000. Four Year
College/University Legacy Scholarships are awarded in
amountsupto$2,500.
Community College/Certificate Program
Patricia Baisden
Sharon O’Hara
Vicky Henderson
Monica Holmes
Bianca Jennings Chelsy Kovski-Swann Elizabeth Leneski
Sonja Reynolds
Juanita Toomer
Dezerae Valdez
Oscar Barrera
Elizabeth Boynton
Kelly Loftus
Taylor Merchant
Kelly Miller
Rebekah Whitney
JoAnn Wilbert
Marcus Brumfield
Paige Campbell
Adrienne Gray
Mishalei Griffith
Jose’ Pagan
Ashley Ross
Cynthia Stinnett
Christina Sung
4-Year College
Samantha Albertson
Christa Higgins
Kristin Trim
Christina Walker
5
ArmyWomen’sFoundation
P.O.Box5030FortLee,VA23801-0030
Phone:804-734-3078
Fax:804-734-3077
Email:[email protected]
Web:www.awfdn.org
Upcoming Events
April 21,Marmora,NJ
Vietnam Veterans Tribute
http://www.awfdn.org/events/upcoming.shtml
May 8-9,Richmond,VA
AUSA’s ILW Army Sustainment Symposium and
Exposition
www.ausa.org/meetings/2013
May 11,Arlington,VA
National Museum of the United States Army Staff Ride:
War of 1812
armyhistory.org/events/
May 18,Casper,WY
PromotingOurWomenWarriorsofWyoming
www.cheyenne.va.gov/
June 15,Boston,MA
Massachusetts Conference for Women Veterans
www.mass.gov/veterans/womenveterans/conference-women-veterans/conferen
ce-for-women-vets.html
June 17-19,KansasCity,MO
AUSA ILW Mission Command Symposium
www.ausa.org/meetings/2013/
June 27,JointBaseAndrews,MD
Women Veterans Interactive 2013 Women Veterans
Golf Tournament
www.womenveteransinteractive.org/events.html
July 4,Nationwide
Independence Day
June 13-18,Tampa,FL
33rd National Veterans Wheelchair Games
www.va.gov/opa/speceven/wcg/index.asp
August 22-24,Scottsdale,AZ
Women’s Army Corps Veterans’ Association 2013 67th
Annual Convention “ARMY WOMEN — PIONEERS”
www.armywomen.org/pdf/2013Convention.pdf
September 19,Arlington,VA
Military Women in Transition Career Coaching
Workshop
academywomen.org/events
September 20-21,Arlington,VA
Officer Women Leadership Symposium (OWLS)
academywomen.org/events
November 9-11,Washington,DC
Vietnam Women's Memorial 20th Anniversary
Celebration
www.vietnamwomensmemorial.org/upcoming.php
BesuretovisittheU.S.ArmyWomen'sMuseumfor
upcomingevents!www.awm.lee.army.mil
Army Women’s Foundation
Board of Directors
Foundation Staff
Est.1969
HonoringServiceandSacrifice
P.O.Box5030
FortLee,VA23801-0030
Phone (804)734-3078
Fax
(804)734-3077
[email protected]
www.AWFDN.org
Whilevisitingourwebsite,checkoutouronlinegiftshop!
Executive Council
DeeAnnMcWilliams,President
CindyPritchett,1stVicePresident
MarySpring,2ndVicePresident
BelindaPinckney,Treasurer
DianaHuron,Secretary
Members
AliceDemarais
ArleneGreenfield
DoriotMascarich
VickiMerryman
JenelleRoberts
IsabelleSlifer
Executive Director
PeggyTrossen([email protected])
Chief Administrative Officer
AprilBooth([email protected])
Administrative Associate
BrendaArmitage([email protected])
Support the Foundation!
Anannualcontributionof$25ormoreentitlesyouand/oryourFriendtoreceiveoursemi-annualnewsletter,noticesofeventsandreunions,andprogramupdates.
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TheU.S.ArmyWomen’sFoundationisa501(c)(3)organizationandyourcontributionsaretaxdeductible.Thankyouforyoursupport!
Mail or fax this form to: U.S.ArmyWomen’sFoundation/P.O.Box5030/FortLee,Virginia23801-0300 / FAX: (804)734-3077
The Flagpole ispublishedbytheU.S.ArmyWomen’sFoundation.ViewsandopinionsarethoseoftheauthorsanddonotnecessarilyreflectthoseoftheDepartmentoftheArmyorDepartmentofDefense.
Managing Editor: PeggyTrossen;Editor: AprilBooth;Contributing Editors: DeeMcWilliams,JenelleRoberts,BrendaArmitage,DebbieFunk;Design: SarosDesign
©U.S.ArmyWomen’sFoundationexceptwherecreditisotherwisenoted.
FP Spring13
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