We’re starting off the year strong! Thanks to the support of the MWM community in 2022, we are hitting the ground running for an impactful and transformative 2023. Countless donations, attendance at our events, and your help to get the word out about MWM have kept us going for the past 25 years - and as a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization, your support is critical to our ongoing operations and mission to honor and tell the story of every woman who has served in our nation's defense.

Thank you to each and every member of this community for your commitment and support of MWM throughout the years. We look forward to having you by our side in 2023 and beyond as we continue to uplift and honor the stories and contributions of women in America’s Armed Forces!



It is an honor to continue to highlight the stories of the many servicewomen who have defended our country. Help us celebrate your accomplishments and theirs by registering your service today.

A Message From The President

Happy New Year! It’s a pleasure, and indeed a privilege, to send New Year greetings on behalf of the Board of Directors and the staff of the Military Women’s Memorial to our members and friends. This new year, 2023, brings us to the eve of the Memorial’s 26th year of operation and the 36th year of the Foundation’s incorporation. Many of you have been with us from the beginning, embracing the idea of a major national memorial to honor the service of all women who have defended the nation, and bringing it to fruition. We are grateful to all of you, whether new to the Memorial or a longtime supporter, for your commitment to and investment in our mission of telling the story of the some 3 million women who have served. This is, indeed, your memorial. 

We have lots in store for the coming year, activities and programming that will support and illustrate military women’s history as well as shed light on the exciting story of today’s military women. Please be sure to read on as this edition of The Register provides information on many of those upcoming events as well as a special request of you about our 2023 Registration Challenge.  

A few short weeks ago, the Memorial lost a good friend, loyal supporter and extraordinary patriot with the death of retired Navy Captain Georgia Sadler. A 29-year veteran of the United States Navy, Captain Sadler was a trailblazer and a strong advocate for military women. A member of the Foundation’s board of directors, she also served on our Education Committee, contributing to the fidelity of exhibits and other materials. Fair winds and following seas, Captain Sadler.  

Wishing you a healthy, happy and exciting 2023.  

PS: Don’t forget that January 14 is the last day contributions can be made to the 2022 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). Read more in this edition of The Register.  

New in the Military Women's Memorial Collection

Thank you to Hillwood Museum and Estate for donating the shelving for the new library; Team Rubicon for all of the volunteer support, from transportation to installation of the new library shelving; and Mr. Joel Rhoades for the generous donation of furniture for the library. Prior to this transformation, our Research Library had not received an upgrade since moving the Foundation to our new location in 2005.

The MWM Research Library contains over 2,000 books and media by and about women who served in and with the U.S. Armed Forces. We are proud to offer this extraordinary resource to scholars, researchers, historians, and educators.

Pictured: A few recently donated books to the MWM library.

We are especially grateful to those who have donated to our one-of-a-kind and growing library. To donate an item to MWM or the Research Library, click below:

January HERstory Spotlight Video

This month marks the 30^th anniversary of retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Susan Helms’ first mission as the first military woman in space, on the space shuttle Endeavour. In honor of this important milestone, check out January's featured HERstory Spotlight video on astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli. 

Lt. Col. Jasmin Moghbeli is a Marine Corps aviator and an astronaut. As a 2020 graduate of NASA’s Astronaut Candidate Training Program, she is eligible to be the first woman on the moon as part of the Artemis Program.

The HERstory Spotlight Series takes a look at stories from both our Register, an interactive online database of military women's stories, and our world-class collection. 

Stories From The Register

 Enjoy these photos from the Military Women’s Memorial Collection of servicewomen serving stateside and overseas.

Having closed 2022 and as we venture into the opening days of 2023, we reflect on some of the New Year memories preserved in The Register by a few of our members:

TECH5 Polly Arthur, WAC WWII - "New Year's Eve, 1943, at Newport News, VA, the WAC Detachment boarded the British liner Andes and headed, unaccompanied by convoy, for North Africa. After staying two weeks at Fort Marshal Lyautey, Casablanca, 100 of us under the command of Capt. Vera McCluskey, were placed in the 6719th WAC Hq Platoon attached to the 12th Air Force HQ and soon found ourselves in bombed out Foggia, Southern Italy."

SGT Shawn Meyers, USA - "My most memorable military experience was when I was stationed in Berlin with the 287th MP CO, when the Wall was still standing. I had to work the graveyard shift on New Year’s Eve and at the stroke of midnight all of the night shift from French, Brits and East Germans raised a toast in peace. I enjoyed the time I spent in Berlin and [have] taken that experience with [me] for the rest of my life."

LTC Pamela Keeton, USAR Ret - "My most memorable experience was spending Christmas and New Year's Eve 1990 near the Saudi Arabia Border with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment during Operation Desert Shield. We nearly froze in that barren country except for the warmth of the camaraderie we shared. We toasted to peace under the glow of flares we used to simulate fireworks. We gazed at the lights of a Christmas tree made out of camouflage netting. I will never forget the men and women of that brave unit."

MSG Terry Lynn Hansen USA Ret - "My visit to Berlin for New Years of 1989 and 1990. The wall had come down in November. I was the only American foreigner at a New Year's Eve party in a private home. We were celebrating much more than just the New Year, we talked about freedom. We laughed and cried all night. Healing had begun, their hearts were happy for their Eastern brothers and sisters that night."

A heartfelt thank you is extended to each of the Military Women’s Memorial partners! As a 501(c)3 charitable organization, MWM thanks you for your support of the Memorial's important work for the past 25 years! 

This Month's Featured Partner

PenFed Credit Union

"It's important to remember the women who bravely served our great nation and continue to honor their sacrifice. PenFed is proud to partner with the Military Women’s Memorial as they tell the stories of these incredible women veterans." James Schenck, President and CEO, Pen Fed Credit Union

The Military Women's Memorial is a proud partner of PenFed Credit Union, the nation’s second-largest federal credit union. PenFed is doing what it can to highlight for the public the many contributions, steadfast commitment, and sacrifices of America’s military women to the nation’s defense.

Together, we are working to encourage military women and their families to preserve their experiences and submit their stories to the Military Women’s Memorial national registry. We are grateful for PenFed’s help in supporting the Memorial's mission.

For a full list of MWM's partners, click below.

Wreaths Out Day

January 21st, 2023

Volunteer to join the clean-up effort on "Wreaths Out" day at Arlington National Cemetery! Join the Military Women's Memorial and come together in service as we pick up and dispose of the wreaths laid at Arlington National Cemetery last month. Refreshments, including hot cocoa and cider, will be served on the Military Women's Memorial plaza, as a thank-you for volunteers.

Prior registration is not required. Please note that the Memorial will be closed to the public until approximately 1:30 PM for this event.

MWM Hours & Closures

January 2023

The Memorial will be closed for major repairs to our HVAC system for approximately 10 days, starting on January 4th. The safety of our visitors and staff is our priority. Excessive noise, dust, and an active construction environment at the beginning of this project will require that we close. While this much-needed work will continue through the end of February, we will be able to reopen to the public on or about January 13th.

We apologize for any inconvenience this closure may cause. For updated information regarding closures, please visit our website. While the Memorial is closed, please continue to take advantage of our online virtual tour, educational resources, and videos on our YouTube channel - don't forget to subscribe!

As a reminder, the Memorial will be closed to the public until approximately 1:30 PM on January 21st for Wreaths Out Day.

MWM Registration Challenge

Since 1989, some 304,725 military women, past and present, have taken their rightful and visible place in history for all time by having their service registered with the Military Women’s Memorial. Though substantial, these registrations only represent some 10% of the women who have served our nation in peace and war, beginning with the American Revolution.  

The account of women’s service to the nation – their contributions, achievements, sacrifice, and patriotism - will never be complete until the stories of all 3 million women who have served are captured and preserved in the Military Women’s Memorial Register. 

To address this shortfall, we are launching an all-out effort in 2023 to increase registrations by 23,000 – a fitting goal for the new year. But your help is critical to achieving this worthwhile effort – we can’t do it without you! If you know of a woman, past or present, living or deceased, who has served our great nation in uniform, help her take her place in history for all time by registering her service with the Memorial – America’s only major national memorial to honor women’s service to the nation. Every registration you accomplish will enrich America’s history, our military history, and women’s history. 

Registration is easy and free.

Simply go to womensmemorial.org and click on Create an Account, or if you already have an account Log In, and follow the prompts. It’s that easy to start making history. We look forward to achieving this important goal with you. 

Save The Date!

Click below for a full list of MWM events coming up in 2023.

75 Years of the Armed Services Integration Act

A Seachange for Military Women

Secretary of Defense James Forrestal (center) congratulates (l to r) Colonel Geraldine May, Colonel Mary A. Hallaren, Captain Joy Bright Hancock, and Major Julia E. Hamblet, after the passage of the Women's Armed Services Integration Act, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. June 1948. U.S. Army Signal Corps photograph.

June 12, 2023, will mark the 75th anniversary of the 1948 Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, the landmark legislation that finally gave women the opportunity to serve as permanent members with full legal status in all branches of the U.S. military, Regular and Reserve. Though serious restrictions were included that would impact women’s service for more than six decades, this groundbreaking law, PL 625, is the foundation for women’s military service today. Its primary purpose at the time was to provide a means of mobilizing women in the event of a national emergency, rather than starting from scratch as was the case during World Wars I and II. Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel for Women, Navy Captain Joy Bright Hancock, a veteran of both World Wars, reinforced that objective during her Senate testimony saying, “It would appear to me that any national defense weapon known to be of value should be developed and kept in good working order and not allowed to rust or to be abolished.” 

Though support at first was lukewarm, the personal testimony and strong public support of Secretary of Defense Forrestal; Army Generals Eisenhower and Bradley; Navy Admirals Denfeld, Nimitz and Radford; Air Force Generals Spaatz, Vandenberg and Eaker; and Marine Corps General Vandergrift pushed the legislation forward. It was passed by Congress on June 2, 1948, by a vote of 206 to 133.  

The Military Women's Memorial is a fitting place to observe this important milestone for military women. Over the coming months in the run-up to June 12, we’ll present various provisions of PL 625 – factoids about this watershed law – that laid the groundwork for military women to “be all they can be.”

Virginia tour dates

Made possible by Virginia Humanities:

US Army Women’s Museum, Fort Lee, VA

Jan 5 – March 31, 2023

National Tour Dates

Made possible by Amazon Military, Fluor, and Iron Mountain. 

National tour dates will be posted as information becomes available. For sponsorship, please reach out to Development@womensmemorial.org.

Wreaths Across America Day

Thank You for Volunteering!

Thank you to all who supported National Wreaths Across America Day at Arlington National Cemetery last month! We had nearly 100 individuals come out and volunteer for our MWM Community Service Day in support of Wreaths Across America. Each year, the Military Women's Memorial is honored to support Wreaths Across America and lay wreaths as a community in honor of those who have fallen. Each December, Wreaths Across America sponsors over 3,400 wreath-laying ceremonies in all 50 U.S. states, as well as at sea and abroad. Watch the Wreath Laying ceremony at the Military Women's Memorial below:

Introducing MWM's Amazon Smile Charity Wishlist

Members of our community can now support the Military Women's Memorial on Amazon! Not only does it take a village to keep the efforts of the Military Women's Memorial going, but also a great deal of operational materials. Check out our Amazon Wishlist below, where you can easily purchase and donate an item that the Memorial needs, directly from Amazon!

For more ways to support the Military Women's Memorial, visit "Ways to Give" on our Website.

New License Plate in Honor of Women Veterans -

Call For Signatures

Virginia is home to one of the largest percentages of women veterans in the United States, with more than 107,000 women veterans calling Virginia home. The Virginia Department of Veterans Services is currently at work to create a new specialty license plate in honor of women veterans – but they need your help to make it happen! The Virginia Department of Veterans Services needs to collect 450 pre-applications for this special license plate, along with a $10 deposit by January 11, 2023.

Once the applications and deposits have been submitted, the Women Veterans License Plate Bill will be sent to the 2023 General Assembly. Once passed during the 2023 session, the bill will be on its way to the desk of Governor Glenn Youngkin, who has already expressed his support for the proposed license plate. So, if you are or know a Virginia resident, please encourage them to apply by January 11, 2023! For more information on how to apply, click below:

Visit the MWM Gift Shop at the Memorial or shop our online gift shop today!

The Military Women's Memorial 2023 Calendar

The 30th edition of the Military Women’s Memorial Calendar, Looking Ahead to the Next 25 Years, provides a sneak peek at future plans for the Memorial. Each month gives a glimpse at the exciting renovations, updates, and improvements planned for this extraordinary national treasure along with the profile of a current or recent servicewoman who paved the way for the next generation of women to serve the nation in peace and war. 

Get yours in the MWM Gift Shop today!

Women's Long Sleeve T-Shirt

MWM Women's Hoodies

New Service Branch Jewelry

Show your service branch pride! Each necklace has three charms, a colored jewel, a silver logo charm, and a service branch nameplate. Necklaces and earrings in this collection are made from zinc alloy and are sealed with an anti-tarnish coating. Each piece is designed and assembled by working moms and grandmothers!

Beat the winter weather with a cup of Skirted Soldier tea and a great book - available in the MWM Gift Shop!

Help MWM and the CFC Finish Strong

There is still time for you to help the 2022 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) and the Military Women’s Memorial finish strong this campaign season. January 14, 2023, is the last day contributions can be made to the 2022 CFC campaign. If you haven’t contributed already, we hope you will do so and that you will designate the Military Women’s Memorial (#11350) as one of the worthy charities you choose to support for the 2022 campaign.  

Your CFC contributions have helped build and now maintain and operate the Memorial Education Center; add to the Memorial’s world-class archive and artifact collection; support the many and varied Memorial events; and help find and register military women so they take their rightful and visible place in history. Thanks to many of you, the American public has a place to learn about the remarkable and rich 250-year story of women’s service to the nation. The Military Women’s Memorial – America’s only major memorial to honor the some 3 million women who have served – is tangible evidence of your CFC dollars at work.  

Help the Military Women’s Memorial and CFC 2022 finish strong by designating #11350 as one of your charities of choice.  

Don’t forget, January 14 is the last day contributions can be made to the 2022 Combined Federal Campaign.   

The Military Women’s Memorial is the only historical repository documenting the service of all women who’ve served in and with the nation’s military, beginning with the American Revolution. Located at the ceremonial entrance to Arlington National Cemetery, it features an education center, innovative and interactive exhibitions, a world-class collection of military women’s stories and artifacts, and engaging programs and events for all generations.

Here are a few additional ways you can continue to support our mission!