Women Veterans

The Military Women's Memorial​​

Do you have a family member or friend who is a woman veteran? She deserves to take her rightful place in history. Without her story, our nation’s history is incomplete. Register her service for free at womensmemorial.org​. #HerMemorial #HERstory  @MilitaryWomensMemorial.

​Veteran Spotlight: Lt. Heather Penney

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On the morning of September 11, 2001, it was a routine Tuesday at Andrews Air Force Base. Lt. Heather Penney was flying training maneuvers in her F-16, running drills she had practiced countless times before. Then the recall order came over the radio: return immediately. By the time she landed, the Twin Towers had been hit, the Pentagon was burning just miles away, and reports warned of another hijacked aircraft heading toward Washington, D.C.

Penney and her commanding officer were told to get airborne and intercept the incoming plane. Their jets, however, had been configured for training—not combat. They carried no live missiles capable of bringing down a commercial airliner. As the urgency escalated, they understood that if they reached the aircraft in time, stopping it might require extraordinary measures. At 26 years old, and a fighter pilot for less than two years, Penney absorbed the gravity of the assignment. Her response over the headset was steady and professional: “Roger that.”

​They launched at full speed, breaking the sound barrier over the capital as they raced to gain altitude and locate United Flight 93. As Penney scanned the skies, she prepared herself for whatever action might be required to protect the city below. Before they could reach the aircraft, however, the passengers aboard Flight 93 had already intervened. The plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania at 10:03 a.m., after those on board fought back.​

Penney remained on patrol over Washington for hours, guarding airspace that had been defended, in part, by the courage of civilians. When she finally returned to base, the weight of the morning settled in. It had begun as an ordinary training day—and become one of the most extraordinary days of her life.

Why it’s Important to Register?

EVERY STORY  is important, EVERY STORY deserves to be told.  Yet we have lost most of our WWI women veterans and our WWII women are fast coming to their final chapter.  What history we have not recorded with be lost with them.  We absolutely CANNOT let another generation go by without ensuring that our collective contributions are captured and remembered.

Please REGISTER HERE: www.womensmemorial.org

There is no cost to register!  You can register any woman you know who is in or has served in the military.  Let’s keep “HER-Story alive!

What is a Women Veteran Coordinator?

The Women Veterans Coordinator maintains a database and email list of women veterans in Kentucky. This database includes only those women veterans who have volunteered their information to KDVA. The information in this database is strictly confidential. The database is used to distribute information of interest to women veterans, including resources and coming events. Our goal is to create a strong network of women veterans in Kentucky and to reach as many as possible.​

​History of the Women Veterans Program