Written by:Mirella Barrera-Betancourt
From Nov. 7 through Nov. 11, two Veteran’s Day themed exhibits were displayed for the Western community.
These events were a collaboration between Western’s Veterans Resource Center, Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs and Veterans of Foreign Affairs.
Students who visited Hamersly Library were presented with the “I Am Not Invisible” Oregon Women Veterans Exhibit in the first floor lobby. The exhibition displayed portraits of courageous female military veterans.
IANI is a campaign instituted in Oregon, meant to establish visibility and awareness for female veterans across the country. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there are roughly two million women amongst the Veteran population. However, many women veterans go unrecognized and many encounter barriers to necessary health care services.
The USVA website states, “With support from the Center for Women Veterans, this project has crossed 50 States, 75 cities, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 27 Native American/Alaska Native Nations to capture more than 3,200 women Veteran images.”
In addition to the IANI exhibit, the Veterans of Foreign Wars generously loaned Western veterans uniforms for their VFW Uniform Showcase. The uniforms were on display in the Werner University Center, directly across from Caffé Allegro.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars’ mission is to provide veterans who fought in foreign lands, water or airspace with the essential health and financial assistance needed to live comfortable lives once out of active service.
At Western, veterans are recognized annually through events put on by the Veterans Resource Center. Their office is located in the downstairs level of the WUC. For more information, contact them by email at wouveterans@wou.edu.
Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu
