Each year on June 12, Florida recognizes the women who have served in our military, thanks to a proclamation by Governor Ron DeSantis designating the date as Women Veterans Recognition Day. The occasion commemorates the 1948 signing of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, which granted women an opportunity to serve as full members of the U.S. military.
The beloved annual ceremony returns to the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center this year, featuring keynote speaker Col. Kristen N. Wood, Commander of the 1st Special Operations Mission Support Group at Hurlburt Field. The Snowden-Horne Chapter of the Children of the American Revolution will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
Open to everyone of every age, from children to our oldest citizens, following the program, attendees will process to the beautifully laid-out Dedication Plaza to lay wreaths in honor of women veterans and tour the scenic Women Veterans Monuments, which trace the history of women in service from the Revolutionary War to present day.
Visitors will also notice progress on the new 2,000-foot living shoreline project along Choctawhatchee Bay, aimed at restoring storm-damaged areas from Hurricane Sally and preventing future erosion. The effort is funded by a combination of grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the RESTORE Act and local tourism dollars.
This 20-acre site is also a haven for wildlife, with 248 bird species, a nesting heron rookery and a critical stopover for migrating monarch butterflies.
Two new statues will be unveiled this year: Captain Linda Bray, the first woman to lead U.S. troops in combat during Operation Just Cause in Panama, and Florence Finch, a WWII heroine who aided POWs in the Philippines before joining the Coast Guard. Placement of the statues will follow the shoreline project’s completion.
- Submitted by Carolyn Ketchel, Okaloosa County Commissioner, District 2, Vice-Chairman 2024-2025. She can be reached at CKetchel@myokaloosa.com or 850-651-7105.
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