Virginia Peninsula Community College's own Amy Anderson has been named an ambassador for Virginia by the Military Women’s Memorial.
Located in Arlington Va., adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery, the Memorial is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to recognizing America’s service women, past and present.
As an ambassador, Anderson, VPCC’s Legal Studies Department head, will help the Military Women’s Memorial broaden public awareness of military women's contributions. The Military Women's Memorial aims to enhance understanding of their impact on the military and inspire young Americans about the opportunities afforded by military service.
“I am honored to be appointed as an ambassador for the Military Women’s Memorial in Virginia," she said in a Military Women's Memorial new release. "As a former journalist and citizen-soldier in the Oregon National Guard, it was my privilege to witness and capture the stories and images of our military (during nine years of service)."
"I am excited to continue serving our nation in my new home state and to honor American military women, past and present, by helping raise awareness and preserving our stories, service, and legacy,” added Anderson, who has participated in many support activities, including mindful yoga therapy for veterans, as well as suicide awareness and intervention training.
Anderson has been with the College since 2007, becoming full-time faculty in 2015 and is chair of the Virginia Community College System’s (VCCS) LGL Faculty Peer Group and former chair of the VCCS' Tidewater Regional Center for Teaching Excellence. She wants to reach VPCC employees and students who are current and former servicewomen to help have their records and stories of service preserved and celebrated through the Military Women’s Memorial.
According to Phyllis Wilson, Memorial Foundation president and retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 5, ambassadors serve to ensure every woman has the opportunity to be a permanent part of "HERstory” by registering their service in the memorial’s national database.
“To date, more than 316,000 military women have their stories of service told at our memorial, but more than 3 million have served through history," said Wilson.
She encourages women, whether active duty or veterans, to register their service for free by visiting www.womensmemorial.org or contacting Anderson at mwm.amb.va1@gmail.com for assistance. Those with family members who served may also register the individuals.
"Join the hundreds of thousands of women who have taken their rightful place in history and whose stories of service have been recorded and preserved at the Memorial in Arlington Va.,” Wilson stressed.