All women veterans in the Texas Hill Country are invited to attend a free celebration on Sept. 21 at the Bandera American Legion Post, 205 12th Street.
The event, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will focus on veterans’ earned benefits and unique needs, offering a lineup of notable speakers, networking opportunities, information tables, door prizes, and lunch.
Laura Koerner, Chairwoman of the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC), will kick off the event, followed by Dr. Bruce Harris, TVC Director of Mental Health.
After lunch, Dr. Julianne Flynn, Executive Director of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS), will provide remarks.
They will be joined by Sharron Stewart, TVC Women Veterans Coordinator for South Texas, for a panel discussion where attendees can ask questions about services and resources available to them.
The event will also feature representatives from several organizations, including Together With Hill Country Veterans (TWHCV), a Kerrville-based suicide prevention nonprofit. Dr. Betty Moseley Brown, the Designated Federal Officer for the Veterans’ Family, Caregiver, and Survivor Federal Advisory Committee, will be present to answer questions and sign copies of her book Leadership Lessons: Personal Reflections from a Woman Marine.
Information tables will provide resources from various veterans’ organizations, and Bandera County Veteran Service Officer Mike Lauricella will discuss how veterans can apply for benefits.
The Major James Kerr Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) will help ensure the comfort of attendees, while the Bandera Convention & Visitors Bureau will provide information for those who wish to extend their stay.
RSVPs and inquiries can be directed via text or phone at 210-788-9160 or by email at BanderaAL157@ gmail.com.
The celebration is part of ongoing efforts to highlight the needs of women veterans, the fastest-growing demographic in the veteran community.
September marks 101 years of VA Women’s Health Care, while the Quadrennial VA Women Veterans Summit will be held later this month in Washington, D.C. The event also coincides with Suicide Prevention Month, highlighting the critical issue of mental health among women veterans.
Women veterans are twice as likely to attempt or die by suicide compared to their male counterparts and civilian women, with suicide rates among women veterans rising 24.1% between 2020 and 2021.
