The Military Women’s Memorial was dedicated in 1997 to honor all the women who have served, are currently serving, and will serve in the United States Armed Forces. It is the only major national memorial that recognizes the courage and patriotism of all the women who have defended their country throughout history.
The Military Women’s Memorial is located at the entrance of the Arlington National Cemetery.
In the 1980s, the American Veterans Committee (AVC) worked alongside Ohio Representative Mary Rose Okaer, and the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to lobby for a national women’s veterans memorial. This led to the creation of the Women in Military Service For America Memorial Foundation (WIMSAMF) in 1985. The Foundation is a non-profit, charitable organization that was charged with locating funding to construct, equip and maintain all aspects of the Memorial. The lobbying efforts were successful, and in 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill that sanctioned the establishment of such a memorial.
designating a location:
The next step was to designate a location for the Memorial. The Foundation turned their attention to the Hemicycle at the entrance of the Arlington National Cemetery. The Hemicycle was an abandoned structure that was originally part of the Memorial Bridge project. Upon selecting the hemicycle, the Foundation had the responsibility to ensure that the planned memorial would neither detract from the original structure, nor would it depreciate the entrance to the Cemetery. The site was approved by the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) in 1988.
For the Memorial, the original wall of the Hemicycle was breached in order to construct the four stairwells that lead to the upper terrace. This physical breach symbolizes women breaking through barriers in the military.
the design
The next step was designing the memorial. A public design competition opened for six months and was judged by a panel of women veterans and distinguished architects. Of the 130 submissions, the Foundation selected the design by Marion Weiss and Michael Mandredi. After the original design was leaked and met with disapproval, the next few years were spent fundraising and redesigning the memorial. The CFA gave their final approval in 1995, after further changes were incorporated.
In June 1995, a groundbreaking ceremony took place and construction began shortly thereafter. The memorial was dedicated and opened on October 18th, 1997.
An alcove inside the Memorial remembering October 18th, 1997 as the dedication date
Brigadier General Wilma L. Vaught:
Brigadier General Vaught, after her retirement in 1985, became the spokesperson for the WIMSAMF. At the time of her retirement, she was one of the most-decorated military women in US history. Vaught currently is the President Emeritus of the Foundation, while Phyllis J. Wilson is the President.
A Poster of Brigadier General Wilma L. Vaught Inside the Memorial
Inside the memorial:
The Memorial is unique in that it has aspects of a museum. A large goal of the memorial is to educate the public about the services provided by women in the military, in addition to recognizing it. There are 16 exhibit alcoves in the interior of the structure that displays both permanent and rotating exhibits. Some examples of the permanent exhibits include the World War II exhibit and the Vietnam War exhibit. Visitors can view advertisements of the time, recruiting women to volunteer in the war. A popular campaign used the motto “Free a Man to Fight.”
One of the two World War II alcoves in the Memorial that contains uniforms, military memorabilia and personal artifacts.
Another exhibit is the Color of Freedom, which honors the diversity of America’s servicewomen. According to a government report from 2018, 61% of enlisted women in the US armed forces are women of color. Although all women have experienced discrimination based on gender throughout US military history, women of color have endured additional challenges due to their race. This exhibit is also one of the few that is accessible virtually on the Memorial’s site.
Visitors are able to access the Register in a section of the Memorial where there are computers available for public use.
However, many consider the “Heart of the Memorial” to be the Register. The Register is an interactive database of the stories of military women to form a collective history. Over
300,000 are registered with the Memorial. However, that is a small percentage of all the women who have served in US history.
encountering issues:
From the Memorial’s inception, the Foundation has experienced financial problems. After Congress authorized the establishment of Memorial in 1986, the Foundation was given five years to generate the funds for a groundbreaking. However, Vaught ended up having to ask Congress for an extension twice due to issues with funding.
First you’ve got to get the word out, and that’s difficult for something like this. Women’s things don’t get advertised the way other things do.”
Over two decades after its opening, the Memorial still faces an unknown future due to financial issues. The foundation relies on sources outside the government to fund and maintain the Memorial, such as donations from veterans and profits from the gift shop. Another issue is that the Memorial is not well known. In comparison to the yearly 5 million people that visit the World War II Veterans Memorial, the Military Women’s memorial receives only 150,000 visitors annually.
the memorial today:
The Court of Valor has a reflecting pool and a 200-jet fountain, which represents the sound of women’s voices.
The Military Women’s Memorial is unique in that it also serves as a venue. The front of the memorial is the Court of Valor which serves as the site for formal military honors.
On October 14th-16th, 2022, the Military Women’s Memorial celebrated its 25th year anniversary. Servicewomen, past and present, and supporters of the Memorial gathered at the Arlington Cemetery entrance to pay tribute. Other parts of the celebratory weekend included remarks by former and current military women representing each of the Services.
conclusion:
Through the Military Women’s Memorial, the contributions of over three million military
women are visibly recognized to be part of our history. Moments and stories from the Revolutionary War to present day are preserved. In addition to being educated about the
history of servicewomen, people need to be made aware that this Memorial is at risk of closing. The nation needs to recognizes the symbolism and physical beauty of the Memorial.
It’s the most breathtaking view I think in the entire cemetery, to stand on our terrace and look at those who have fallen, and the way their country honors them.
Former President of WIMSAF, Army Maj. Gen. Dee Ann McWilliams
The memorial has an upper terrace made of glass tablets with engravings of thirteen quotes by and about military women. On a sunny day, the light passes through the tablets and reflects onto the gallery walls below.
Attached below are a few interesting speeches in relation to this Memorial and the Foundation:
Michelle Obama’s Address: On March 3rd, 2009, Michelle Obama gave a speech at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Center, encouraging the nation to visit and learn about the important role that women have played in our military history.
Phyllis Wilson’s Address: On September 1st, 2022, Military Women’s Memorial President, retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Phyllis Wilson gave a speech to The American Legion 103rd National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Brigadier General Wilma Vaught’s Speech: The President Emeritus of WIMSAMF, was a 2022 Medal of Freedom Recipient, and she spoke about her time serving the nation.
