Women Veterans Honored in Nation’s Capital
By Erik Milster
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12- More than 300 persons – members of the military, family and friends – gathered at the Women’s Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery Thursday for the annual Veterans Day ceremony.
Now in its seventh year, the ceremony was one of three major Veterans Day observances in the nation’s capital and the only one to honor women exclusively.
Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Wilma L. Vaught began the ceremony with a humorous yet respectful welcome. Vaught, who is the Women’s Memorial Foundation president, said, “This is the best event in the nation’s capital because it has the most number of speakers, and more over they are all women.”
The Memorial site is a 4.2-acre Ceremonial Entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. A 30-foot high curved neoclassical retaining wall stands at the entrance , honoring the more than 2 million women who have served or are serving in or with the United States Armed Forces starting with the American Revolution.
After the National Anthem and invocation, Navy Lt. Paula Godes delivered the keynote address. She explained the creation of a quilt made aboard the USNS Comfort during her 2003 deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It was Godes who after months of seeing fellow members caring for injured military as well as Iraqi civilians decided to begin the quilt. “Every member of the Comfort served proud, but none of them would call themselves heroes,” said Godes.
The Comfort quilt, which is part of a new exhibit in the memorial’s education center, measures 11 feet by 12 feet and was completed after 2,000 hours of work. Unable to remain emotionless, Godes acknowledged how the quilt symbolizes the warmth and comfort that were abundantly present onboard the ship.
Each member of the crew was invited to create a small square of fabric that would become part of the quilt, Godes said. Some members did not know how to sew, but enjoyed the chance to learn. When word of the quilt traveled home, more than 30 women from around the nation sent fabric to the Comfort .
Towards the end of her speech Godes reflected on the vital roles women have played throughout the military both in wartime and in peacetime. “Every veteran deserves our thanks.” she said.
After Godes speech, members of the various United States armed services were invited to participate in the ceremonial wreath laying.
In Massachusetts there are more than 28,000 women veterans, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and 6,000 of them have registered with the Women’s Memorial. Massachusetts ranks third among all states in the percentage of women veterans who have registered with the Women’s Memorial.
One former Bay State resident was on hand to watch the ceremony. Betty Splaine, 79, is retired from the United States Coast Guard and a great friend of the Women’s Memorial. Originally from Revere and Somerville, Splain now lives in Washington and is a member of the memorial’s board of directors.
Splaine joined the Coast Guard at 18 and went on to become the first woman warrant officer in the Coast Guard.
“I loved being in the Guard, and every time I come to the Memorial I am filled with pride and honor,” Splaine said. “This ceremony is wonderful. Every woman veteran, no matter where you are from, should try and come to the memorial.”
The Women’s Memorial is the only major national memorial honoring women veterans, including active duty, Reserve, Guard and U.S. Public Health Service uniformed women and women in the Coast Guard auxiliary and Civil Air Patrol. The memorial also honors women who served overseas during conflicts in direct support of the armed forces, in organizations such as the Red Cross, USO and Special Services, and members of the U.S. Public Health Service Cadet Nurse Corps.
The Women In Military Service For America Memorial Foundation, Inc., the non-profit organization established to build the Memorial, continues to raise funds needed to operate and maintain the Memorial Education Center. Ground was broken June 22, 1995, for the memorial and it officially opened to the public Oct. 20, 1997. The memorial includes the Hall of Honor, with exhibits and artifacts of women’s military service, a 196-seat theater, a gift shop and the computerized Register.
The ceremony ended with Army Master Sgt. Tammy Leverone playing “Taps” at sundown while standing on the terrace atop the Memorial.
