Washington County highlights women in the military in four-part series

June 12 marks the 75th anniversary of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, which granted women the right to serve as regular, permanent members of the armed services for the first time. To honor this occasion, Washington County Disability, Aging and Veteran Services (DAVS), in partnership with Tualatin Valley Community Television (TVCTV), produced a four-part series to highlight women in the armed forces. Beginning June 8, the 30-minute episodes will air at 7 p.m. on four consecutive Thursdays on cable channel 30 and TVCTV’s YouTube channel. Each episode covers a different topic and includes a panel of women veterans as well as a featured guest.

June 8: Panelists discuss the history and evolution of women in service over 75 years, including job restrictions, uniform mandates and more. Special guest is veteran Betty Pomeroy. Having joined the Army in 1958, Pomeroy has a unique perspective on the early days of women being integrated in the military and how much evolved over her time in the service.

June 15: An estimated one in 10 military women experience military sexual trauma. Panelists will discuss how this trauma affects women in the service. Special guest is Army veteran Sarah Blum, who served as a combat nurse in Vietnam. The show may be triggering for some viewers.

June 22: Women in the service have had many restrictions, including marriage, pregnancy and parental. This show explores the relational dynamics of being a woman in the military and features Air Force veteran Carol Roberts. She will talk about her 23-year Air Force career, including her work with the Top-Secret Red Eagles, helping U.S. pilots to fly against Russian fighter jets.

June 29: Serving our country with pride while simultaneously being restricted and discriminated against creates a complexity of emotions. Participants share their complicated feelings about their service. Special guest is Army veteran Lacey Beaty. She will talk about how the Armed Forces helped move her from poverty to her public service as Beaverton’s mayor.

Washington County thanks panelists Ashley Taylor, Ashley Thompson, Shari Diwata, Beach Pace and Maycell Villanueva as well as featured guests Betty Pomeroy, Carol Roberts, Lacey Beaty and Sarah Blum.

For more information about this series, contact DAVS Program Specialist Paul Riggs at [email protected].

Washington County Disability, Aging and Veteran Services provides programs and services to maintain and enhance the quality of life to assure that basic needs are met for Washington County older adults, veterans and people with disabilities. More information is available at www.WashingtonCountyOR.gov/DAVS.

Pictured left to right: Mayor Lacey Beaty, Ashley Taylor, Veteran Services Supervisor Vicki Horn, Betty Pomeroy, Ashley Thompson, Maycell Villanueva, Shari Diwata, Carol Roberts, Hillsboro City Councilperson Beach Pace, DAVS Program Specialist Paul Riggs.