FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Military Women’s Memorial Launches America’s 250th Celebration by Honoring More Than 250 Years of Women’s Service to the Nation
National Women Veterans Recognition Day Celebration to Feature New Exhibit, Distinguished Speakers, and Community Tribute to Generations of Women Who Served
ARLINGTON, Va., June 12, 2026 — This June 12, America will celebrate the 78th anniversary of the 1948 Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, the groundbreaking legislation that gave women a permanent place in the Nation’s military and an opportunity for a military career. As America prepares to commemorate its 250th birthday, it is fitting that the Military Women’s Memorial launch its celebration of America’s 250th on this milestone date for military women by honoring the women whose courage, service, sacrifice, and leadership helped build, defend, and preserve our Nation for more than 250 years.
On National Women Veterans Recognition Day, June 12, 2026, the Memorial will host a special celebration recognizing the extraordinary legacy of women who have served our country, from before there was a United States, through the Revolutionary War, and in every generation since.
“Women’s service is America’s story,” said retired Army CW5 Phyllis J. Wilson, President of the Military Women’s Memorial. “As our Nation reflects on 250 years of independence, we have a responsibility to ensure that the women who answered the call to serve, often without recognition or acknowledgment, are included in that story. This celebration honors their legacy and ensures future generations understand the vital role women have played in our Nation’s history.”
The evening will feature the unveiling of the Military Women’s Memorial’s newest special exhibit:
Women of Valor: 250 Years of Women Serving Our Nation
This powerful new exhibition explores the remarkable stories of women who have served our Nation from the American Revolution to the present day. Through artifacts, photographs, personal accounts, and historical interpretation, the landmark exhibit highlights the service, sacrifice, courage, and leadership of generations of military women whose contributions helped shape the United States.
The Military Women’s Memorial extends its deepest gratitude to the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution for its partnership and generous support in making this exhibit possible.
The celebration will also feature remarks from distinguished guests:
- Kate Andersen Brower, bestselling author and co-author of We The Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America, a journey through America’s history with the influential women whose unsung stories shaped the nation and its quest for freedom and equality.
- Admiral Lisa Franchetti, USN, Ret., former Chief of Naval Operations and the first woman to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, whose historic career and service stands as a testament to the leadership, courage, and legacy of generations of military women.
The 2026 presentation of the Senator Margaret Chase Smith Leadership Award will be another highlight of the evening. Senator Smith was the author and primary proponent of the legislation.
As part of the commemoration, visitors will be invited to participate in the Memorial’s Wall of Gratitude, a community tribute where guests can leave messages of thanks, remembrance, and hope honoring the generations of heroes who have served our Nation. The installation will provide an opportunity for Americans to recognize those who came before us—those who served before there was a Nation to those who continue to defend and strengthen it today.
The celebration serves as the official launch of the Military Women’s Memorial’s programming celebrating America’s 250th, which will continue throughout the anniversary period with exhibitions, commemorative events, and opportunities for the public to engage with the stories of the women who helped shape American history.
The Military Women’s Memorial extends special thanks to Amazon Military for its partnership and generous support in helping make this celebration possible.
The event is ticketed and has reached capacity. The Military Women’s Memorial will livestream the event – https://www.facebook.com/events/2892653974412730/
About the Military Women’s Memorial
Located at the ceremonial entrance to Arlington National Cemetery, the Military Women’s Memorial honors and tells the stories of women, past and present, who serve our Nation. The Memorial is the only major national memorial dedicated to documenting and preserving the stories of service and experiences of women who have served and continue to serve our Nation, ensuring their contributions are recognized as an integral part of American history. Through its exhibits, world class collection of artifacts, programs, oral histories, educational curriculum, and the National Register, an interactive database which preserves the stories of service of some 338,000 women, the Memorial preserves and shares the stories of the more than 3 million women whose service helped shape our Nation.
Media Contact:
Clare Tomasetti
Military Women’s Memorial
[email protected]
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