These remarkable individuals are veterans themselves, dedicated to championing the cause of fellow veterans, with a special focus on women who have served. They are resilient women who have transitioned from military service to civilian life, achieving personal success, and actively assisting others on their journey to do the same.

They are the California Department of Veterans Affairs’ 2023 Trailblazer Awards recipients. Six women veterans will be honored at a reception on Monday, June 12 at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel. To attend, register at https://conta.cc/3M5Cyyy.

This year marks the ceremony’s 11^th since its inception in 2012 and is the first live event since 2019. The ceremony in 2020 and 2021 were held virtually due to the pandemic, and it was not held in 2022.

The event coincides with the 75^th anniversary of the day President Harry S. Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act into law on June 12, 1948. The legislation enabled women to become permanent members of the United States military for the first time in history. The law’s significance is reflected in the careers not only of the Trailblazer Award recipients, but of all women who have served since it was enacted.

“CalVet’s Trailblazer Awards were created to honor and recognize California women veterans and servicewomen who’ve made significant contributions to their communities and have reaffirmed their perseverance and dedication to duty through community engagement,” said Virginia Wimmer, deputy secretary for Women Veterans Affairs. “Trailblazers are women who have served their country or are currently serving and making an impact by enhancing the lives of other veterans, veteran families, or veteran caregivers.”

Listed alphabetically are this year’s Trailblazer Award recipients:

Irma Hagans Cooper, Los Angeles. Cooper spent 30 years in the Army and defied the norm by becoming one of the few African-American women to rise to the rank of colonel. She ran medical facilities and commanded companies that went on to serve in combat zones. She didn’t slow down in retirement. Cooper served as president of the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of Black Women in the Military, and as the vice-president of the San Gabriel Branch of the NAACP. She also serves on the National Parks Conservation Association to ensure veterans have a voice on environmental concerns. CalVet Connect featured Cooper in a February 28, 2020 story.

Mary Cortani, San Martin. Cortani is a Vietnam Era Army veteran. She is the founder and CEO of Operation Freedom Paws, a nonprofit that enables veterans dealing with anxiety issues and PTSD to train their own service dogs. She has helped hundreds of veterans—including many women veterans—develop enduring bonds of trust and security with the animals, improving their lives and their animals’ lives. When veterans have severe combat-related disabilities, she helps family members provide support. Her program has been so successful that she was honored as a Top Ten Hero by CNN, and she was featured in “By My Side” during the GI Film Festival in San Diego (May 15-19, 2023).

Elena Kim, Orange County. Kim—served five years in the Army as a Human Intelligence Collector and was deployed to Iraq in 2006 and 2007—has made a career out of advocating for veterans. Since leaving the Army in 2010, she’s worked as a program analyst at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C.; as a congressional aide; and as a County Veterans Service Officer (County Veterans Service Office) in San Francisco and Orange counties. She helped the VA to reduce long wait times at clinics and hospitals, and supported veterans’ right to choose their healthcare in their respective communities. She also helped develop the first Veterans University that brought more than 300 veterans to a college setting to help them understand and access their earned veterans benefits.

Rhonda Murphy, Santa Barbara. Murphy is a Navy veteran, the first and only woman to lead the California Association of County Veterans Services Officers (CACVSO) in the organization’s 78-year history. The CACVSO was formed in 1945, before women could fully serve as permanent members of the U.S. military. Under her leadership, CVSOs served more than 141,000 veterans statewide, fielding 785,000 phone calls and emails, and helped veterans file 90,000 claims for pension, disability, and VA healthcare in 2022. Those claims converted to $25 million in awards for veterans and their families. She also established the first CACVSO subcommittee for Women and Minority Veterans to address diversity, equity, and belonging.

Connie Owens, Merced. She is a 30-year Air Force veteran and a Gold Star mom. Owens regularly volunteers to help unhoused veterans by collecting and delivering food, water, clothing, and other essentials. She provides information and access to housing, healthcare, and other wraparound services; and offers support, fellowship, and encouragement. She is an active member of Merced’s Gold Star Mothers, and helps other military and veteran families in need. She’s a member of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 13, and is instrumental in producing the Run for the Fallen and Field of Honor events in Merced. She ran in and completed the 5K race in memory of her son, 29-year-old Petty Officer First Class Matthew Grant Owens Rabe, who died suddenly while stationed at Lemoore Naval Air Station.

Latia Suttle, Southern California. Suttle is an Army veteran and was among the soldiers who dug through the rubble of the Khobar Towers complex, after terrorists detonated a truck carrying 5,000 pounds of explosives, killing 19 U.S. airmen and wounding more than 350 others. After her service ended, she continued to help others by volunteering with organizations such as the National Association of Black Military Women, chaired the Armed Services and Veterans Committee of the NAACP’s Beverly Hills and Hollywood branch, and worked tirelessly to advocate for legislation that assists veterans and military families in Family Court. One such effort became SB 1182, authored by State Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman-D-5, and signed into law by Governor Newsom on September 17, 2022. CalVet Connect featured Latia in a February 26, 2021 story.

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California is home to nearly 163,000 women who served in our U.S. military. They are veterans, family members, friends, business owners, professionals, community leaders, and advocates. Women Veterans served in every major U.S. conflict and in peacetime since our Revolutionary War. For this they are owed a great debt of gratitude. For more information on Women Veterans​​ visit www.calvet.ca.gov/calvet-programs/women-veterans.