Iola Public Library will pay tribute to the women who have served their country, dating back to the Revolution. Three Iola women will discuss their military experiences, from the 1970s to 2003, at 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 7.
These women include Terri Yetzbacher, U.S. Army, South Korea; Christine Tholen, U.S. Air Force, Japan; and Shauna Berntsen, U.S. Army National Guard, Iraq. Recruiter SSG Gregory Michel, Army National Guard, will outline the range of opportunities now available to enlisted women.
Today, 16 percent of the U.S. Armed Forces are women and they serve in every branch. The Women’s Army Corps was disbanded and integrated with the male units in 1978. Women have been eligible for combat duty since 2013.
A Military Women’s Memorial pays tribute to America’s servicewomen, past and present, at the ceremonial gates to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. It features an education center, interactive exhibits and numerous personal stories.
Nearby in the Capitol, adjacent to the wall, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial depicts three uniformed women with a wounded male soldier to symbolize the support and caregiving roles women played in the war as nurses or other specialists.
