AUSTIN, Texas— Today, Texas Land Commissioner and Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D., is honored to celebrate the courageous women who have served our great country on Women's Veterans Day, which recognizes and remembers the signing of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, allowing women the right to permanently serve in the regular armed forces.
As Chairwoman of the VLB, it is my honor to advocate for our Veterans every single day. There is no greater act of service than pledging to fight for your country,” said Commissioner Buckingham. “On this day, we are proud to recognize the service and sacrifices of our women Veterans. Texas has the highest women Veteran population in the nation, with over 207,500 women Veterans. So, today, please join me in thanking all of our women Veterans for their courage and service to our great nation."
To watch a video message from Commissioner Buckingham, click the thumbnail below:
Recently, the VLB along with the Camp V's Women’s Center, the Texas Veterans Commission Women’s Program, and Military and Veterans Success Center at UT Tyler hosted the East Texas Women Veterans Celebration. The event also included a resource fair where more than 20 vendors provided services to women Veterans and their families.
The theme for this year's event was "You Can't Spell Hero with Her" and featured keynote remarks from Dr. Shirley McKeller, Tyler’s District 3 City Councilwoman, Camp V Women’s Center’s MST Facilitator, and Peer Groups Coordinator Tiffany Rivers. McKeller and Rivers both served in the U.S. Army and gave motivational speeches to the women Veterans in the audience, encouraging them to continue supporting each other.
U.S. Army Veteran and country music artist Jenn Ford performed the National Anthem and several songs, including Coffey Anderson’s “You Can’t Spell Hero Without Her." Ford performed with the U.S. Army band for six years while on active duty.
Click here to learn more about the various benefits the VLB offers Texas Veterans:
VLB Benefits for Texas Veterans
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Dr. Dawn Buckingham made history in 2022, winning a statewide election to become Texas' first female Land Commissioner. As Land Commissioner, Dr. Dawn Buckingham is committed to helping Texans after a disaster, supporting Texas energy, ensuring that every child in Texas receives a high-quality public education, serving Texas Veterans, and securing the border to keep our communities safe.