Dear Veteran,
There is no greater act of service than fighting for your country. As Americans, we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to every military member and Veteran who has answered the call of duty in defense of our freedoms and the safety of our families. Throughout the year, many opportunities exist to honor and celebrate our remarkable Veterans. In Texas, on June 12th, we recognize the courage and sacrifices of our women Veterans on Women’s Veterans Day.
In 2017, Governor Greg Abbott signed legislation recognizing June 12th as Women’s Veterans Day in Texas. Though it has not yet become a nationally recognized day, Texans have helped blaze the trail towards celebrating the unique experiences and triumphs of women Veterans. Across our nation, women Veterans are the fastest-growing population of Veterans. In fact, Texas has the highest population of women Veterans, with over 207,500 women Veterans calling the Lone Star State home.
Women’s Veterans Day is not just a day to commemorate women who have served in the military; it is also the anniversary of June 12, 1948, when Harry S. Truman signed the Women’s Integrated Service Act into law. This legislation allowed women to serve in several official capacities in all four military branches. Before this change in law, women could only volunteer in clerical positions or work as nurses. The only exception to this was a brief period during WWII when the Women’s Army Corps was bestowed full army status.
While the Women’s Integrated Service Act marked a significant step forward for women serving in the military, women have played crucial roles in war efforts throughout American history. From the American and Texas Revolutions to the Civil War and World War I, women have healed and comforted the wounded, spied on enemies, stitched iconic, morale-boosting flags, given history-making eyewitness accounts, and fought alongside men.
As a ninth-generation Texan, I have an unwavering respect for the heroes who fought and died during the Texas Revolution to secure freedom for the Republic of Texas from Mexico. One of the most iconic flags of the Texas Revolution, the “Come and Take It” flag, was made by Evaline DeWitt, daughter of the Empresario Green DeWitt, and Cynthia Burns, a female resident of the DeWitt Colony. The cannon on the flag referenced a cannon that Mexican troops sought to recover in the town of Gonzales. When shots rang out in Gonzales on October 2, 1835, the Texas Revolution began. This flag was marched to Bexar after the Battle of Gonzales and remains a symbol of Texas’s unflinching rebel spirit.
As a steward of the Alamo, I understand how vital it is to preserve the history of Texas’s Shrine of Liberty for future generations. The Battle of the Alamo was a pivotal fight in the struggle for Texas independence, and the battle cry, “Remember the Alamo,” still resonates in the hearts of Texans. While every brave Alamo defender died in the battle on March 6, 1836, there were survivors. Among them were women and children, including Susanna Wilkerson. After her husband was killed at the Alamo, Susanna was sent with a note from Santa Anna to General Sam Houston telling of the defenders’ defeat. Like the other survivors, many of them women, Susanna helped preserve this precious piece of Texas history by giving her eyewitness account of the Battle of the Alamo. She also testified on behalf of the defenders’ families so they could claim the land the Republic of Texas granted for military service at the Alamo.
Women who have served during modern conflicts and as full-fledged military members exemplify the hard work and perseverance of the many women who came before them. Through the Texas Veteran Land Board’s (VLB) Voices of Veterans oral history program, we have helped preserve the stories of two such women who have built incredible careers by supporting their fellow Veterans after serving their country.
Lieutenant Laura Koerner, who served in the U.S. Navy, is the current Chairwoman of the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC). When laws were changed to allow women to serve in combat roles in 1993, Koerner was one of the first women to serve on destroyers and aircraft carriers. Of her military service, Koerner said, “I always felt like I was doing something of purpose and defending our country. There’s no higher purpose I could think of.”
To listen to Lieutenant Korner tell her story, visit Voices of Veterans.
Captain Mary Dale, who served in the U.S. Army, is the current Vice Chair of TVC. She was deployed to Kuwait in 1994, where soldiers were to perform peacekeeping missions. However, everything changed when agreements broke down after Saddam Husain crossed the border into Kuwait and Operation Desert Strike began. When asked why she entered the service, Captain Dale said, “I was just out of high school. I wanted to be in a job that was honorable. I was very patriotic.”
To listen to Captain Dale tell her story, visit Voices of Veterans.
Recently, the VLB, Camp V’s Women’s Center, the Texas Veterans Commission Women’s Program, and the Military and Veterans Success Center at UT Tyler hosted the East Texas Women Veterans Celebration. The event also included a resource fair, where 25 vendors provided services to women Veterans and their families.
This year’s event theme was “You Can’t Spell Hero with Her,” and keynote speakers included Dr. Shirley McKeller, Tyler’s District 3 City Councilwoman, and Peer Groups Coordinator Tiffany Rivers. McKeller and Rivers both served in the U.S. Army and gave motivational speeches to the women Veterans in the audience, encouraging them to continue supporting each other. U.S. Army Veteran and country music artist Jenn Ford performed the National Anthem and several songs, including Coffey Anderson’s “You Can’t Spell Hero Without Her.” Ford performed with the U.S. Army band for six years while on active duty.
All of the incredible women who served in our military or contributed to our war efforts before the military’s integration deserve to have their stories told and their contributions celebrated. In Texas, we honor all of our Veterans year-round, but I encourage Texans to take the time to learn more about the accomplishments of women Veterans throughout our state and the nation’s history.
For Texas,
Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D.
