The Flagpole e-Newsletter
Edition 77 | July 2022
The U.S. Army Women's Foundation
Honor ~ Empower ~ Connect
Maia Semmes holds a photograph of her grandmother, Pvt. Margaret Sales, a member of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-Black, all-female World War II unit honored Wednesday at the Military Women's Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery. (Michael A. McCoy for The Washington Post)
6888th Congressional Gold Medal Commemoration Event
Last month retired Army veterans, Colonel Edna Cummings and Master Sgt. Elizabeth Helm-Frazier honored the women and families of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion with a commemoration ceremony celebrating the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal. The commemoration ceremony, held at the Women's Memorial, honored the all-Black, all-female 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion that served in World War II.

Keynote speakers included Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis R. McDonough, Army Brigadier General Hope Rampy, 62nd Adjutant General of the Army, and Dr. Elwood Robinson, chancellor of Winston-Salem State University.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis R. McDonough receives a framed copy of the law from Col. Edna Cummings, U.S. Army retired; and Master Sgt. Elizabeth Helm-Frazier, U.S. Army retired. (Photo: Dept. of Veterans Affairs )
Brigadier Gen. Janeen Birckhead, Brigadier Gen. Hope Rampy, Brigadier Gen. Beth Salisbury, and Lt. Gen. Donna Martin attend the Commemoration Ceremony.
Tweet helps Discover Grandmother's Courageous World War II past
Tara sent pictures of her grandmother, Crescencia Garcia, 102, in her military uniform to a CBS correspondent who posted a tweet about it. The tweet went viral and was seen by retired Army Colonel Edna Cummings, who said seeing the photo "was like being in a casino and hitting the jackpot." After verifying Crescencia's military identification tags, Colonel Cummings determined Ms. Garcia was a member of the storied 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. Click the link to learn more about her incredible story.
Crescensia Garcia is a Puerto Rican-born veteran who served in a burn unit in Birmingham, England. 
Photo: Garcia Family
Crescencia Garcia, 102 and her granddaughter, Tara, receive a facetime call from First Lady Jill Biden. Photo: Garcia Family
Army Logistics University, Fort Lee, Virginia, Photo: DOD
Fort Lee Will Be Re-Named
Fort Gregg-Adams
Virginia's "Fort Lee" will be renamed to honor two Black officers: Lt. Gen Arthur Gregg and Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams of the 6888th Central Directory Postal Battalion to "Fort Gregg-Adams." 

Lt. Col. Charity Adams dedicated much of her life in service to our nation. In 1944, at 25, she was selected to command the first unit of African-American women overseas, the 6888th. She was tasked with delivering mail to and from almost seven million soldiers fighting in Europe and efficiently managed incredible workloads.
A U.S. Army Paratrooper assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division prepares to depart Pope Army Airfield, N.C. Feb. 14, 2022. (U.S. Army photo Sgt. Hunter Garcia)
Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services
The Department of Defense has reconstituted the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS).

As one of the oldest Defense Department advisory committees, DACOWITS’ recommendations have historically been instrumental in effecting changes to laws and policies pertaining to military women.

Since 1951, the Committee has submitted over 1,000 recommendations to the Secretary of Defense for consideration. As of 2022, approximately 97% have been either fully or partially adopted by the Department.
Deadline Extended to 25 July!

Apply for an AWF - Trident University
International Scholarship
Check out the AWF - Trident University International Scholarship Program. Scholarships are awarded to eligible Army women pursuing a bachelor's or graduate degree. Scholarships are awarded based on merit, academic potential, community service, letters of recommendation, and need. Applications are submitted to the Army Women's Foundation scholarship committee. The Deadline: 25 Jul 2022. For more information go to, www.awfdn.org/scholarships/awf-trident

Trident University International Scholarships are based on established criteria published in the University's Catalog or on its website and are awarded after verification that eligibility conditions have been met. There is no fee to apply. For more information on Trident University, visit www.trident.edu/awf.
Add this to your Summer Reading List
Veterans Lita Tomas and Jean Marie McNamara bare their souls with unflinching candor in a new memoir. Forcing their darkest moments and the secrets of family, the Catholic Church, military, and disability into the light, their resilience and resolve stand as stark inspiration.
From painful high school haircut memories to rescuing their fellow soldiers from a flipped vehicle, there’s romance, reality, and action in these pages. The authors will pull you through the swarms of ticks at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, and the excruciating medical bureaucracy of Veteran’s Affairs to land you breathless by their side today.
Deadline for Nominations for the
AWF Hall of Fame: 31 July 2022
We are now accepting nominations through July 31, 2022, for our 2023 Hall of Fame Induction and Special Recognition Awards program. Every year the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation honors the service and sacrifices of U.S. Army women through the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame. Our Special Recognition Awards are presented to any individual who has made exceptional contributions to women in the Army or the Armed Forces. For nomination eligibility and criteria go to Hall of Fame eligibility and criteria.

July Female Mentoring and Morale Program
21 July 2022 @ 1800-1930 (EST)
July's Female Mentoring and Morale Program (FMMP) begins a 2-session discussion on the life of Single Soldiers and Civilians in our formations and offices. These sessions will include candid talks on the challenges Single Parents face daily as they proudly serve while managing a family, along with covering new activities and events, the Army’s BOSS program offers.
 
Topic: BOSS: Caring for Our Single Soldiers/Civilians, & Single Parents
 
Date/Time: 21 July 2022 @ 1800-1930 (EST)
 
Session #1 - July’s panelists:
 CSM Tamisha Love – Ft Lee Garrison CSM & CASCOM BOSS Manager
SFC Jamie Ramsdell – President of the Fort Lee BOSS Program

To access this month's meeting please register in advance by clicking below.
To register for this and all future sessions, please email the Female Mentoring and Morale Program (FMMP) at ft.LeeFMMP@gmail.com. Zoom Access Link will be emailed to registered members. 
In Case You Missed It

COL Clydea Prichard-Brown, US Army changed command of the 59th Ordnance Brigade and is now serving as the Executive Officer to the Deputy Commanding General of the Army Materiel Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. COL Prichard-Brown is the Founder of the Female Mentoring and Morale Program (FMMP) and will continue to host the monthly mentoring sessions. 
COL Prichard-Brown changes command of the 59th Ordnance Brigade at Fort Lee, Virginia. (Photo: Courtesy of the Prichard-Brown Family)
COL Prichard-Brown's family watches the change of command ceremony. (Photo: Courtesy of the Prichard-Brown Family)
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At Stantec, we create opportunity by inviting, embracing, and celebrating differences. This includes a commitment to supporting those who serve or have served, and their families. Collectively, we foster a culture where everyone can bring their whole selves to work in an environment that is welcoming, accepting, safe, supportive, and free of judgement.

We provide resources to our Veterans as they transition from the public sector into the private consulting business, while actively encouraging open dialogue and support for all employees and families. We have enhanced our recruitment practices to include a job search option based on a military job or code and launched a Military and Veteran Advocate (MAVA) Employee Resource Group (ERG). Our nation is our community—and Veterans and their families are an important part of that community.
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