Pat McCullough served in the U.S. Marine Corps before working in politics and serving as the city of Jacksonville's special assistant to the mayor on civic engagement and youth participation. She is shown marching during the city's Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 11, 2023. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
Published on June 10, 2024 at 5:24 pm
Women Veterans Recognition Week is underway in Jacksonville with events planned throughout the week to honor women who have served in the military and to shine a light on the challenges they face daily.
Events are planned from Monday through Saturday. They are organized by the Northeast Florida Women Veterans, a nonprofit organization that helps women in the military transition into civilian life.
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CEO Dee Quaranta said the annual recognition week is in its 10th year and helps in part to educate the public on challenges female veterans face, such as finding child day care or the right career path or nonvisible challenges like post-traumatic stress disorder.
“We have so many women veterans who are doing very well, very successful, doing really well. But we also have that group that did not transition well and are still struggling,” Quaranta said.
She said an estimated 12,000 to 14,000 female veterans live in Northeast Florida, which she says is the largest concentration of that group in the state. Quaranta said the number is expected to grow in part due to the resources that are available for veterans in the area.
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Harrison Conyers, the city’s director of the military affairs and veterans department, said resources available for female veterans include helping them get Veterans Affairs benefits and helping them find rent or utility assistance.
“We are proud of them, and we know that our freedoms were partially established by their service, so we’re very, very much appreciative of all they’ve given to our country and our community,” Conyers said.
Events this week include a VA health forum and a recognition gala. Events are open to the public, although some require tickets and/or registration. For a list of events or to register, go here.
For more information about the resources available for female veterans, go to the Northeast Florida Women Veterans website or the city of Jacksonville’s military affairs department.
