LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has established June 12 as Women Veterans Recognition Day.
The governor signed House Bill 4555 Monday, 75 years after President Harry Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act into law in 1948. The law permitted women to serve in the military as equal members. However, they would not be recognized as veterans until the late ‘70s to early ‘80s.
“Today, I am taking action to establish Women Veterans Recognition Day in Michigan, giving these courageous servicewomen the recognition and honor they have long deserved,” says Governor Whitmer. “Millions of women have put their lives on the line to serve our country and it’s our responsibility to connect them with critical resources like healthcare, mental health services, and affordable housing when they leave the service. Let’s keep working together to honor our women veterans and service members.”
Though Women Veterans Recognition Day was observed in the state since 2018, lawmakers needed to put forth a proclamation every year to make it official. Monday’s signing makes Women Veterans Recognition Day permanent without need for a proclamation, according to the Michigan Executive Office of the Governor.
“Recognizing Women Veterans Recognition Day in Michigan not only honors the courageous women who have served our nation, but also highlights the critical contributions they have made throughout history,” says Erika Hoover with the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. “It is crucial to acknowledge the unique challenges that women veterans face, particularly when it comes to their identification as veterans. By designating a specific day to honor women veterans, we send a powerful message that their service is valued and their voices are heard.”
Hoover collaborated with Rep. Julie M. Rogers (D – Kalamazoo) toward making Women Veterans Recognition Day permanent.
We’re told there are roughly 44,000 women veterans living in Michigan today.
