Louisiana Women
Veterans Day

“A strong woman understands that the gifts such as logic, decisiveness, and strength are just as feminine as intuition and emotional connection. She values and uses all of her gifts.” —Nancy Rathburn

BATON ROUGE – On June 19, 2019, Louisiana’s First Lady, Ms. Donna Edwards, opened the doors of the Governor’s Mansion, and shared a delicious meal with a diverse group of women veterans. Their selflessness is evident in the sacrifices they have made while in service to our country, and to the communities they live in all across the state.

Women from across all generations and branches of service came together to share a meal while being recognized for their contributions. The Governor’s Mansion was the perfect backdrop for the pioneers to meet one another, and the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs (LDVA) was incredibly happy to have been able to collaborate with First Lady Edwards in the week following a momentous occasion in Louisiana.

Last year, LDVA worked together with Governor John Bel Edwards to have Louisiana Women Veterans Day proclaimed. It was done in conjunction with the 70th anniversary of the passage of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, which authorized regular and reserve status for women allowing them to serve as permanent, regular members of all branches of the military.

This year, LDVA wanted to do more so Senator Regina Barrow was asked to bring this resolution forward. She did, and thanks to her efforts, June 12 will be known as Louisiana Women Veterans in perpetuity. Thank you for that, and for your continued support of Louisiana’s veterans, Senator Barrow.

We should always acknowledge the service and dedication of all veterans, but we need to do more to bring attention to the fact that more than 28,000 veterans from across our great state are women. They are daughters, wives, mothers, friends, and neighbors. Often times they do not take the time to apply for the benefits they earned. LDVA is committed to addressing their needs and to helping connect them with one another. Our outreach events are one way that we have been able to do that.

Women have always been important to the defense of our nation, and have made many brave and selfless contributions to our armed forces.  Now, the world will know that Louisiana recognizes and celebrates these trailblazers.

First Lady Donna Edwards continues to recognize the integral role of women in the military and in our state by highlighting them in her monthly Loving Louisiana blog.

Thank you for honoring all of our women veterans for all that they did and continue to do.