Category Women Veterans

CalVet logo, text "Veterans Helping Veterans," and photo of woman.

From One Family to Another: Kinship During Deployment Set Stage for Veteran’s Future

Liz Hargrove-Washington’s world changed in an instant during the winter of 1996. As a young staff sergeant in the Air Force stationed at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, and the young mother of a baby girl, she received orders to deploy to Saudi Arabia. “It was one of the most challenging, difficult times of […]

CalVet logo and text "Veterans Serving Veterans" with image of servicemember in Army uniform standing next to man.

Helping Other Veterans Comes up Roses for Nurse at Barstow Home

As a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) at the Veterans Home of California-Barstow, U.S. Army veteran Kimberly Malott has a passion for caring for the Home’s veteran residents and their spouses. She also has a passion for passing out roses—at the behest of a veteran resident who routinely bought them for the women at the Home. […]

Graphic with CalVet logo and small images of four people.

VETERANS WELL REPRESENTED AMONG CALIFORNIA HALL OF FAME’S 2023 CLASS INDUCTEES

An Asian American woman who became a World War II Army pilot and a physicist. A World War II Army veteran who became the first openly gay man to run for public office in the United States. A Tuskegee Airman and Olympic 400 meters champion who went on to enjoy a long and successful career […]

Iraq War veteran Christopher Adriano in helicopter.

Fair Enough: CalVet Loan Agent Finally Gets to Meet Veteran Who Was Among His First Clients

Associate Property Agent Christopher Adriano displayed his business cards among the brochures and other materials while representing CalVet’s Home Loans Division at the California State Fair last month. A woman, donning a United States Forest Service shirt, stopped by the booth, read the card, and said, “Are you Chris? You did our home loan.” That […]

Retired Navy Chief Yeoman Angela Fritzoni serving in Afghanistan.

NAVY VETERAN FILES PACT ACT CLAIMS FOR HERSELF, HELPS OTHERS AS AUGUST 9 BENEFITS DEADLINE LOOMS

As a Chief Yeoman in the U.S. Navy, attached to a Seabees command battalion in Afghanistan, Temecula’s Angela Fritzoni incurred numerous injuries that eventually resulted in a 100 percent service-related disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “In Afghanistan, our mission was to help the Afghans build to fight (terrorism)” said Fritzoni, whose […]

Celebrating Women Veterans Trailblazer Award

SIX WOMEN VETERANS TO RECEIVE CALVET’S TRAILBLAZER AWARDS

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 […]

President Harry S. Truman and women servicemembers.

A SIGNATURE MOMENT FOR WOMEN IN THE ARMED FORCES

President Harry S. Truman changed the American military forever with the stroke of a pen on June 12, 1948. The Women’s Armed Services Integration Act enabled women for the first time to become permanent members of the United States Armed Forces and its Reserve components; ultimately enabling them to merit veteran status as well as […]

WOMAN VETERAN DECAL IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR CALIFORNIA ‘HONORING VETERANS’ LICENSE PLATE

When President Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act into law on June 12, 1948, women could finally serve as permanent, regular members of the four major branches of the American military. Up until 1948, women serving in the auxiliary branches performed duties in four categories: baking, clerical, driving, and medical. During WWII, the […]

Photo of Women Veterans writing workshop and CalVet logo

VOLUNTEER TEACHES VETERANS HOW TO BETTER TELL THEIR STORIES

Most veterans have a story to tell, from boot camp or base life, from deployments to discharge. Sometimes, they just need tips on how to tell it. Kristine Mietzner loves to help them. The former journalist, retired educator, and now a staff services manager in CalVet’s Veterans Homes division has spent more than a decade […]

Photo of Army Captain Tina Knutson in Iraq.

RETIRED ARMY MAJOR WANTS WOMEN VETERANS TO REMEMBER THEIR MILITARY-ACQUIRED SKILLS

As a U.S. Army Reservist serving in a psyops (psychological operations) unit in Iraq in 2021, Tina Knutson and her team got into the minds of Iraqi citizens while deployed to Baghdad. As a police officer and hostage negotiator during her 21-year career in law enforcement in the Alameda County city of Newark, she once […]