The Memorial Day commemoration ceremony held at the Women in Service for America Memorial traditionally closes out the formal observance of the holiday in Washington, D.C.
Like so many observances that were planned to mark the occasion across the country, COVID-19 restrictions caused the in-person event to be canceled, so WIMSA took it virtual with a watch party on its Facebook page.
“On Memorial Day, we remember those who died while serving in uniform,” said WIMSA President and retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Phyllis Wilson.
“There are about 3 million women who have defended the country from the Revolutionary War to the present,” she said.
3 remarkable women warriors to honor
Located on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, the WIMSA Memorial was established in 1997 and is the only national memorial that honors all women who have defended the nation.
The 33,000 square foot facility features a 200-seat theater, exhibit spaces and a Hall of Heroes that tells the stories of the women who have died while in service.
Wilson, who has a combined 37 years of service in the Army and Army Reserve, said her parents didn’t make it a secret that if she and her siblings wanted to go to college, they would have to fund it themselves because the family simply couldn’t afford it. She opted to join the service to further her education and made it a career
PHOTOS: Check out the Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery
”You can’t get away from what you love,” she said.
Wilson also noted that prior to 1970, women were legally prohibited from rising above the rank of lieutenant colonel in the nation’s armed forces.
“The idea of being trailblazers is certainly American,” she said.
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