Two of my friends were recently having a nice lunch at one of their favorite places. The staff knew what they wanted to order without asking. Their routine was to visit this place once every other week. With their busy schedules it was a nice break from work and something to look forward to.
They always received a 10% military discount. This is the standard but some restaurants in my area actually offer 15% like Island Wing Company and ACME Oyster House has a 25% military discount. On this day the owner of the restaurant came to their table and thanked them for being loyal customers. Additionally, he thanked my friend for his military service and said "this meal is on the house". The problem is that my friend had never served in the military but his wife had honorably served 21 years.
There are many people who still assume that the male is or was the servicemember. Women have served alongside men long before the modern era. Woman served in the U.S. Army during the Revolutionary War as nurses, seamstresses, and cooks for troops in camp. Some women even served in combat roles while others served as spies. While they were not in the traditional uniform, they shared the same hardships, separation from families, and all the hell that comes from war.
Although we have heard a lot about females joining Special Forces and once all-male military communities lately, the truth is women have been serving this country since it was founded. As of 2018 about 1.7 million, or 9% of veterans were female. That number is projected to be 17% by 2040.
This article isn't a history lesson but if you visit https://www.army.mil/women/history/ then you will find some amazing facts about women in the Army.
I recently had the pleasure of having Sharleen Deary on our Diapers and Deployments Podcast. Sharleen is a HTW Program Coordinator. HerTOTALWellness (HTW) is a FREE 6-week program designed to empower women Veterans, including daughters of Veterans between the ages of 18 and 24, residing in Northeast Florida on their path to self-sufficiency by addressing their holistic needs. The program focuses on three primary domains of wellness: Body, Mind, and Economic Empowerment. It also offers various virtual workshops including employment preparation, stress & time management, dress for success, financial fitness, nutrition & wellness, self-care, yoga, therapeutic art, and more. More information can be found at https://www.forwomenvets.org/hertotalwellness/ or by calling 904-862-6039. HTW is only one of the programs offered.
As more and more States finally realize that our female Veteran population is growing and desperately in need of services, I suspect more great non-profits like Northeast Florida Woman's Veterans will form.
The next time you're out and you hear about military service don't be quick to assume that "He" is the Veteran. Thank you for continuing to read our blog, listen to our podcast, and most importantly inform other Veterans about www.SkillMil.com. For our podcast just search Diapers and Deployments on Spotify, Apple Podcast, IHeartRadio, or www.skillmil.com/podcast.
Our SkillMil family continues to grow and I appreciate all of you!
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