The Veterans First Program held the 11th annual Honoring Women Veterans program on Thursday, March 23 at Las Positas College. The theme of the program was “Her Story,” to bring the stories of the women veterans to the public. Three veterans spoke of their experiences during the event.
The ceremony was intended to honor all women veterans and the recipients of several scholarships. Arica Steedley was awarded by Blue Star Moms, Amber Maynard was awarded by the Daughters of the American Revolution and Maria Stephanie Caballero was awarded by the Valley Veterans Foundations. Quilts of Valor were also awarded at the ceremony to four women veterans.
Over opening remarks, Deputy Secretary for Women Veteran Affairs of California, Virgina Wimmer, thanked her sister warriors for their service and said she was proud of all of them.
“Women Veterans are more than resilient, they are revolutionary and resourceful,” Wimmer said.
“Sharing your stories, your personal stories, your stories carry lessons for all of us,” Ronald Gerhard, Chancellor of Chabot Las Positas College District said.
Succeeding the remarks, army veteran and music major Tina Knutson sang the Star Spangled Banner, accompanied by music major Kylie Pickard on the saxophone.
Arica Steedley, a cybersecurity major, army veteran and mom of two inaugurated the panel. She spoke about how the military trains you to form good habits. The habits she established in training stayed with her during her entire Army career.
“Waking up before the sun came naturally. Pushing my body to new limits was something I craved,” Steedley said.
Transitioning out of the military to college forced her to learn new habits, but instead of a drill Sergeant motivating her, now her two children are her motivation.
“All the new habits that were instilled in me didn’t quite align with life outside the military. So I had to once again learn new habits and mold myself into a version that can be successful in this new environment,” Steedley said.
United States Coast Guard veteran and Avionics Electrical technician Amber Maynard, Cybersecurity Major, spoke of how she was tested many times in her career, especially by men telling her what she could or could not do.
“Little did they know that the more they said I couldn’t the more I was motivated to push harder” Maynard said.
The final speaker, LPC Biology student and navy veteran Maria Stephanie Caballero’s recalled a story from her basic training days. Afellow recruit was ordered to do 200 pushups for hiding a cookie under her pillow. The woman was overweight and had an injured wrist struggled after 30 pushups. Caballero, even though instructed not to, took over for the woman as she was suffering.
Caballero repeated the words of her drill-instructor: “You are very brave and I don’t want you to stop being brave.”
Following the speeches was a Q&A section.
The panelists were asked, “what should be mandatory for veterans transitioning to college?” Steedly answered free daycare. Caballero said veterans should be assigned a mentor. Maynard said every college should have a good veterans center like the one at LPC.
After the Q&A section, four Quilts of Honor were awarded to Tracy Walker, a Navy veteran and LPC alumnus, Knutson, Julia Coty, Air Force veteran and LPC Alumnus and Dr Jannett Jackson, army veteran and past Chancellor of the Chabot Las Positas College District. Quilts of Valor are awarded to a Service Member or Veteran who has been touched by war.
The final Honoring of women veterans was a Congressional Recognition by Congressman Swalwell’s representative.
Alan Lewis is a staff writer for the Express.
