Outreach Events
Virtual Studio is busy here at the US Army Women’s Museum!
The Virtual Studio presented to a group of the Connecticut National Guard and then partnered with the Museum of the Pacific War in Texas to share the story of Charity Adams and the 6888th to a virtual audience of 300 for Black History Month. We presented to groups in Texas, Illinois, Virginia, Maryland, Louisiana, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. Our studio partnered with the Museum of the Pacific War and we were able to present the stories of women in WWII to the Center of Army Analysis at Fort Belvoir. In total, 1,179 people participated in programs during the month! What a wonderful time sharing the stories of these incredible women to so many great schools, adult groups, and military members. It is a joy to hear how much people enjoy learning about these women.
50 YEARS BEYOND: The Vietnam Veteran Experience” at the Virginia War Memorial
We are so excited that our friend, MAJ(Ret) Flo Dunn, is featured in a new exhibit called, “50 YEARS BEYOND: The Vietnam Veteran Experience” at the Virginia War Memorial. Flo, a Board Member with the Friends of the Army Women’s Museum Association (FAWMA), is a volunteer and advocate for the AWM. We are thankful that visitors to the War Memorial will learn about Flo’s service in Vietnam. The exhibit highlights 49 other Virginia Veterans through images and oral histories. Be sure to stop by if you are in Richmond!
Joint Base Myers-Henderson Hall Retirement Day
Mary Beth Taylor attended JBMHH Retirement and Appreciation Day. Over 100 participants were in attendance and we were able to share our mission of supporting the Army Women’s Museum.
Fort Belvoir Retirement and Appreciation Day
Mary Beth Taylor, Aimee Kominiak, Cydnee Gentry, and Pat Jernigan attended Fort Belvoir Retirement and Appreciation Day on October 28th. The day brought together veterans, active-duty service members, community leaders, employers, and government agencies from the federal, state, and local levels to raise awareness about the services and benefits offered to veterans and active-duty military members. Over 300 participants attended and FAWMA was able to share our mission of supporting the Army Women’s Museum.
Virtual Studio presents Isle of Integration.
FAWMA Digital Education is alive and well. The “Island of Integration” program featuring the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was given on October 18th on the Center for Interactive Learning Platform.
National Council of Social Studies Conference
Attending the National Council of Social Studies Conference in Philadelphia the first weekend in December.
Fort Lee Super Sign-Up
The AWM and FAWMA team supported two different community events to publicize the museum and recruit volunteers. The Fort Lee Area Spouses Club (FLASC) Super Signup and the Fort Lee Spouses Symposium were both well attended and generated much interest in the AWM. We were able to engage with spouses as well as other groups and institutions from across post and the local area. As a result of these events, we had six new volunteers attend our Volunteer Orientation on September 26th.
6888th Congressional Gold Medal presented to FAWMA
COL Cummings and MSG Helm-Frazier present an original of the Congressional Gold Medal awarded by President Biden on Women’s Equality Day 2022 to Cydnee Gentry and Aimee Kominiak, Co-Presidents of FAWMA.
FAWMA Board of Directors and guests visit Ordnance Training Facility
FAWMA Board Members visiting the Ordnance Training Support Facility during the Fort Lee Women’s Equality Day Observance.
Virginia Tourism Corporation and Petersburg Area Regional Tourism visit the AWM!
Twenty representatives from Virginia Welcome Centers across the state visited the AWM in June. This Familiarization Tour, sponsored through a partnership between the Virginia Tourism Corporation and Petersburg Area Regional Tourism, was designed to introduce front line workers state attractions that they can then encourage travelers to visit. Virginia is for Lovers!
NEW EXHIBIT COMING TO THE AWM!
The AWM and FAWMA are celebrating the achievements of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion and LTC Charity Adams. The Naming Commission is recommending a new base name in her honor and the 6888th Congressional Gold Medal has been approved by Congress. The AWM with FAWMA’s support are planning to honor both the Six Triple-Eight and LTC Adams with an exhibit opening late 2023. Please help support our efforts!
Fort Belvoir Retirement Day 2021
COL (Ret) Mary Beth Taylor and Cydnee Gentry attended the Fort Belvoir Retirement and Appreciation Day on FAWMA’s behalf on October 29th. The day brought together veterans, active duty service members, community leaders, employers, and government agencies from the federal, state, and local levels to raise awarenessabout the services and benefits offered to veterans and active duty military members. 200 participants attended.
JB Meyers-Henderson Hall Retirement Day 2021
Cydnee Gentry represented the Friends of the Army Women’s Museum Association at the Retirement and Appreciation Day on Nov 4th at JB Meyers-Henderson Hall. Veterans, active duty service members, and government agencies from the federal, state, and local levels attended and offered information on their services to the participants.
We met several veterans that were excited to share their stories. Thank you to COL (Ret) Pat Jernigan for her help that day. FAWMA shared our mission of supporting the Army Women’s Museum with over 100 in attendance.
THE NAMING COMMISSION VISITS THE AWM (September, 2021)
The AWM was host to the Naming Commission. Commissioners Admiral Michelle Howard, Mr. Jerry Buchannan, and Mr. Laurence Romo visited Fort Lee to hold a series of meetings and focus groups about selecting a new name for the fort. The consolidated staff of the Fort Lee Museums put forward the name of LTC Charity Adams, Commander of the 6888th Central Postal Battalion, whose story is told at the AWM! If you would like more information about the Commission or if you would like to recommend a name, you can go to https://www.thenamingcommission.gov/.
GENDER INTEGRATION PROJECT LAUNCH (September 15, 2021)
The Gender Integration Initiative was launched on September 15th on the AWM and CMH Webpage. https://history.army.mil/genderintegration/ The Initiative, led by our staff at the Army Women’s Museum, is a multimedia toolkit designed to give unit leaders the historical context, materials, and tools to educate their Soldiers about the Army’s experience with the post-9/11 integration of women into combat arms. The project is designed not as a lesson plan, but rather as a conversation starter to show the changing roles of women in the Army over the past 20 years. Hosted on the both the AWM and CMH websites, the page contains an overview video, an interactive timeline, a facilitator’s guide, and other additional resources to allow the user to interact with various aspects of the gender integration story at their own pace. The project has received positive feedback since launch, with people noting that it is engaging and consumable. One of the women featured wrote us to say she was very touched that we had highlighted her story, and a former Ranger was very glad that the Cultural Support Teams that he worked with in Afghanistan were represented.
FORT LEE SUPER SPOUSE EVENT (September 9 , 2021)
FAWMA participated in the Fort Lee Area Spouses’ Club Super Sign Up Event. Museum Curator, Tracy and FAWMA member Delinda, met many new comers to Fort Lee and interested volunteers.
TEACHER’S INSTITUTE (July 12 and 13, 2021)
A Summer Teacher Institute entitled Diversity and Service: The Road to Equity in the Military was held in partnership with the Virginia War Memorial. The first day of the two day institute was hosted by the Army Women’s Museum with visits to the Quartermaster Museum and Ordnance Training Support Facility. The day included a special presentation by an Educator from the National Museum of the United States Army. Day two was held at the Virginia War Memorial and featured a wide variety of speakers and stories, highlighting the history and experiences of women, African-Americans, Asian-Americans, and Indigenous people in the U.S. Military.
CENTENARIAN PROJECT (June 8, 2021)
FAWMA’s virtual educator, Micaela Procopio did an interview with Esther Albert Bristow, of Petersburg, VA, who also served as a World War II WAC on June 8, 2021. Mrs. Bristow was as a clerk-typist at the Pentagon and worked under both General Dwight Eisenhower and General Omar Bradley. While she remembered both men fondly, Mrs. Bristow emphasized that General Bradley was an especially nice man who was willing to sit and talk with the WACs. After the war, she was stationed at Camp Lee. (This interview is a direct result of a virtual class Micaela delivered to the Petersburg Home for Ladies.)
VIRTUAL INTERVIEW WITH 1LT BOBBIE FALLON (May 27, 2021)
On May 27th, Cydnee Gentry and Tracy Bradford conducted a Zoom interview with Bobbie Fallon, a 99 year old WWII WAC. 1LT Bobbie Fallon trained to be a physical therapist during WWII at Fort Dix in New Jersey. She later was sent to Rouen, France on the Queen Mary to serve as a member of the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps and to rehabilitate soldiers. Thank you for your service Lt Fallon!
Ft Belvoir Retirement Day Remote Event (October 2, 2020)
Friends of the Army Women’s Museum Association (FAWMA) participated in Fort Belvoir’s Virtual Retirement and Appreciation Day on October 2, 2020 at Fort Belvoir, VA. COL (R) Aimee Kominiak delivered resource materials and outreach support from FAWMA to use in resource bags mailed to participants. The virtual event brought together veterans, active duty service members, community leaders, employers, and government agencies from the federal, state, and local levels to raise awareness about the services and benefits offered to veterans and active duty military members.
Newcomer’s Outreach JB Lewis – McChord, WA (February 3, 2020)
CWO5 (R) Denise Scarboro, represented the Friends of the Army Women’s Museum Association (FAWMA) at the Newcomer’s Brief at Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Feb 3, 2020 at JB Lewis-McChord, WA. The event brought together active duty service members, community leaders, veterans, employers, and government agencies from the federal, state, and local levels to raise awareness about the services and benefits offered to its military members aboard the base. Denise shared our mission of telling the story of women in the service to our country and supporting the Army Women’s Museum.
Veterans’ Day – Glen Allen High School Veterans’ Day Assembly (November 2019)
FAWMA attended the Glen Allen High School Assembly where the Deep Run High School JROTC presented the colors. The band opened the session that was attended by 1900 students, faculty and veterans that commemorated Veterans’ Day. Sergeant First Class Gail Black represented FAWMA and the Women’s Army Museum.
AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition 2019 (October 2019)
FAWMA attended the 2019 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center Washington D.C. on October 14-16, 2019. Aimee Kominiak, Cydnee Gentry, Delinda Creal, Janie Fogg, Pat Jernigan, Ron Bingham, Jimmy Price, and Dr. Francoise Bonnell established connections with patrons and corporate groups to share the mission of the Army Women’s Museum.
The AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition is the largest land power exposition and professional development forum in North America. Taking place over three days, the Annual Meeting is designed to deliver the Army’s message by highlighting the capabilities of organizations and presenting a wide range of industry products and services. AUSA accomplishes this task throughout the entire event by providing informative and relevant presentations on the State-of-the-Army, panel discussions and seminars on pertinent military and national security subjects, and a variety of valuable networking events available to all that attend. FAWMA was able to contribute to this message by providing leadership programming, historical interpretation and outreach opportunities and education.
The event included over 30,000 Regular Army, Guard, Reserve, civilians, family members and corporate sponsors. It is one of the key communication platforms employed by the Army to educate and inform government, academic, civic, veteran advocates and leadership on Army priorities and issues impacting today’s Army.
Fort Lee Retiree Appreciation Day 2019
Fort Meade Appreciation Day 2019
Joint Base Myers-Henderson Hall Appreciation Day 2019
FAWMA attended Appreciation Day at Joint Base Fort Meyer- Henderson Hall on Wednesday, October 4, 2019. Aimee Kominiak and Cydnee Gentry were in attendance and were able to speak with Colonel Kimberly Peeples, JB Meyer-Henderson Hall Garrison Commander about the mission of the Army Women’s Museum. The program was attended by over 300 participants and brought together many veterans, active duty service members, and community members.
Fort Belvoir Retirement Day 2019
Cydnee Gentry and Aimee Kominiak represented the Friends of the Army Women’s Museum Association at the Fort Belvoir Retirement Day on September 20th at Fort Belvoir, VA. The day brought together veterans, active duty service members, community leaders, employers, and government agencies from the federal, state, and local levels to raise awareness about the services and benefits offered to veterans and active duty military members. SP5 Janet Fitzgerald, who served as an Army artist, working to document female soldiers in training during her time on active duty stopped by to chat about her service. She was assigned to Artist Team 18 from 1976-1979. Over 400 were in attendance and FAWMA was able to share our mission of supporting the Army Women’s Museum.
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