Empowerment of self, sister veterans theme of Montana Women Veterans Symposium.
Fort William Henry Harrison, the training facility for the Montana National Guard outside Helena, played host on May 16 to the first phase of the third annual Montana Women Veterans Symposium. The gymnasium housed 26 vendors in a wide range of areas, all looking to help the attendees help themselves as more and more opportunities and resources become available to them: state and federal agencies, education, jobs, horse and dog therapy, the Military Women’s Memorial database and the American Legion Department of Montana.
The symposium’s organizer, Irene Dickerson, is an Army veteran and retired colonel, 10th District commander, graduate of National American Legion College and PUFL member of Post 39 in Forsyth. She opened the proceedings with a prayer extolling women veterans’ “service, stories and enduring spirit.”
Lt. Col. Janel R. Wiese, commander of the 95th Troop Command and keynote speaker, reminded the audience that throughout America’s military history, “women often served in crucial support roles” that included the homefront – although many roles are more active today. She expressed the hope that in talking with each other as well as with the vendors, the attendees get “not just a friendship – a profound connection,” extolling them to “mentor each other.”
Throughout a working lunch, speakers from the VA women’s health team spoke on topics such as nutrition, breast, lactation, etc. Two statistics: women 45-65 are the fastest-growing segment of VA patients, but younger groups are catching up; and suicide risk due to post-partum depression is also higher in veterans.
According to Dickerson, the morning sessions and fair had 34 attendees. That evening, 16 – of a range of ages – gathered at the DoubleTree by Hilton in downtown Helena for appetizers and icebreaking games like Would You Rather and Spill the Tea, intended to get the attendees talking and connecting to each other; she said they “generated a lot of laughs and comradeship.” A number of breakout activities on Saturday, done in small groups, included self-defense, yoga, fly tying, equine therapy and a quilt run (like a poker run, but to quilting stores). In addition, more panels were conducted covering topics such as the Legion’s Be the One initiative.
This was Dickerson’s second symposium, and the first to be multi-day. She started work last October. With the help of Department of Montana Office Manager Erin Carpenter, she reached out to area businesses for donations and sponsorship, and to state agencies and VA for speakers. Everything from email lists to social media to VA was utilized to reach out to women veterans, who Dickerson says the event was designed to empower and “provide a network that other women could reach out to for information.” According to Carpenter, a planning committee made up of female Legionnaires has already stood itself up and set dates for next year.
Dickerson’s advice to women veterans wanting to set up similar events? “Do your research, and contact the posts and organizations directly.”
- Women Veterans