Expo for Women Veterans Planned for Nov. 6 at Baltimore War Memorial

BALTIMORE –The Women Veterans United Committee, Inc. (WVUCI) will hold its inaugural Women Veterans Invisible No More Expo, Friday, Nov. 6, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Baltimore War Memorial (101 N. Gay St.) in Downtown Baltimore. 

“Today the military is close to having 15 percent women and there are close to 50,000 women veterans in Maryland alone,” said Dr. JoAnn Fisher, CEO of Women Veterans United Committee, Inc. “These women have served in all branches of the military in almost all capacities with their training, blood, sweat and tears needing to be honored the same as male veterans; however, they haven’t received the same level of support as their male counterparts – particularly with regard to medical and psychiatric care.”

“Some women have returned from war with Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) experiences that have affected their families, especially their children,” she added. “Women veterans have higher rates of divorce than both civilian women and veteran men, and there is a very fine line for homelessness among women veterans in comparison to men.”

With that in mind, the Expo is designed to provide key information and support to over 300 women veterans and give them the opportunity to voice their concerns. It will offer networking and job leads, free legal advice, benefits information and claims assistance, as well as the opportunity to meet Maryland representatives, learn about volunteer opportunities and win prizes.

Guest speakers are as follows:

· Linda L. Singh, Adjutant General of Maryland, who is responsible for the daily operations of the Maryland Military Department. A senior advisor to the Governor, she is responsible for the readiness, administration, and training of more than 6,700 members of the Military Department. Lt. Maj. Singh will discuss The Face of Women Veterans Today, and 

· Retired Navy Physician/Author Frederick Foote, who has created holistic medicine programs for Wounded Warriors and veterans. He will give a multimedia reading from his book, Medic Against Bomb: A Doctor’s Poetry of War, discuss how veterans can heal through arts and nature programs, sign copies of his book and donate a portion of book sales to WVUCI.

To date, exhibitors include:

• VA Medical Center (Washington, DC) Volunteers (National Cemetery Administration)
• Annapolis Department of Veterans Affairs Department of Veterans Affairs (VESO)
• My Healthy Vet Program (VA)
• Women Veterans of America
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Service Officers
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
• Military Order of the Purple Heart
• Army One Source
• Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (DLLR)
• Homeless Persons Representation Project
• Maryland Highway Administration
• Maryland Transportation Authority Police
• Prince George’s County Police Department
• Susan G. Komen of Maryland
• VA Suicide Prevention Program
• VA Health Care for Homeless Veterans
• Serra Pacific Mortgage Company
• Deatrice Simpson, Handyman/Design Builder

Event sponsors, supporters and partners include Del. Edith Patterson (D-Charles), Maryland Secretary of Veteran Affairs George W. Owens, III, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training, Inc. (MCVET), The Military Order of the Purple Heart and the National Association of Black Veterans, Inc.

Admission to the Expo is free and registration is available online. For details about sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, contact event planner, Kim Harden Smith of Majestic Day, LLC, at 443.860.9765, or email WVUCINC@gmail.com. 

About WVUCI

Originally established in 1995 as The Women Veterans Committee, Inc. under the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Department of Maryland, Inc., the group was reorganized as an independent entity separate from the DAV in 2015. WVCUI’s Vision is to work to ensure needs are met for women veterans. Its Mission is to honor the service and sacrifice of female veterans who have served faithfully in our military service. For more information, visit www.wvucinc.org.