FEATURED ARTICLES

VFW National Headquarters Appoints First-Ever Female Director

Persian Gulf War veteran, Debra Anderson, was recently selected as the new director of Human Resources at VFW's headquarters in Kansas City.The first female to ever hold such a position, Anderson, along with other females employed at the VFW, is breaking the gender barrier. This year, Anderson will also become the first female commander of her Post in Parkville, MO. Following a 13-year career in the Army, she held several managerial positions in the leasing and mortgage industries prior to landing a job as assistant director on VFW's Quartermaster General staff in 2007. See how Debra Anderson's military trek steered her to where she is today.

America Loses an Air Force Pioneer

Perhaps no woman has done more to advance opportunities for female military members than the late General Jeanne Holm. This highly decorated crusader was the first woman to achieve the rank of general in the Air Force and first woman to become a two-star general in any United States armed service. In her climb up the military ladder, she fought passionately for the equality of women, axing sexist biases and busting up discriminatory policies. General Holm turned traditional female roles upside down by opening up new fields for women and expanding their eligible positions. View the details on this fascinating woman's accomplishments.

Reintegration Program Trains More Than Just Veterans

A Minnesota National Guard chaplain knew a veteran's family members and community could help shape a more comfortable and timely merge into society. He created Beyond the Yellow Ribbon to educate not only soldiers, but their spouses and a variety of community leaders on recognizing and meeting the challenges faced by service members coming back from war. In fact, it's so successful that it served as a model for what is now a national Pentagon program. Learn more about the interesting workshops offered and how community involvement ensures a veteran is never alone in facing their return to civilian life.

UPDATE: Operation Courage is Beautiful Sends 537 Additional Care Packages

Volunteers and members of VFW Post 3787 in San Diego recently prepared a total of 537 packages for some very special women serving overseas - packages which include face cleansers, lipstick, lip gloss, mascara, hand lotions and lip balm, among other beauty care products. But perhaps the most notable item in the box is a child's handmade "thank you" card.

Post 3787 partnered with StyleSynch.com and the San Diego Armed Services YMCA to assemble and distribute these care packages through Operation Courage is Beautiful. Prior to this event, 618 packages were sent out, bringing the total to well over the initial goal of 1,000.

Operation Courage is Beautiful was founded by Cindy Chan of StyleSynch.com after reading an article in Glamour magazine about women returning from Iraq who felt they "lost their femininity" while deployed overseas. The article went on to say how deployed women were thrilled when they received items like mascara and facial masks, so Cindy thought it would be a great idea to create a campaign addressing these needs. A true advocate of female veterans, Cindy was able to turn her dream into an actionable initiative that is garnering widespread support.

Operation Courage is Beautiful Still Accepting Nominations
If you would like to nominate a female soldier to receive a beauty care package, send an email to info@joinsheserves.org with the person's full name, email and mailing address. She'll be overjoyed when she sees the contents!