Medina celebrates military women

MEDINA — Military service from Medina County women was celebrated Sunday during one of the first formal in-person gatherings for local veterans in more than a year. An open house at Medina County Veterans Memorial Hall, 620 N. Broadway, welcomed the public to thank residents for their U.S. Armed Forces contributions and view newly finished displays chronicling local war history. Medina's event took place just after Saturday's Women Veterans Day, officially recognized in Ohio on June 12 since last year and first established to commemorate the Women's Armed Services Integration Act of 1948. "We worked on these (displays) over the past year and it was very important to us to include on each one how women were so important in every cause," said project coordinator and retired U.S. Army Col. Dave Taylor, who spearheaded creation of Medina County Veterans Memorial Hall. "We want the primary audience for this to be school kids starting next year, for them to get that sense of this history and what women and all of our veterans have accomplished." While Women Veterans Day has not yet been recognized as a national holiday, Congressional legislation intending to change that was introduced in 2019 and 2020 while garnering bipartisan support. Ohio currently is one of eleven states to take part with most on that list passing legislation to mark the holiday within the past two years. The date first was recognized by the New York State Assembly on June 12, 2008. Sunday's open house was sponsored by American Legion Post 202, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 72, and Medina County Women of the Military. Retired U.S. Army Sgt. Aneta Mullins, an Iraq War veteran and president of Medina County Women of the Military, was one of roughly 20 honored attendees. "This is the first time getting to see everyone like this since last year," she said, standing before a Medina County Veterans Hall display focusing on women's military history. "We're here for the entire county and all different military branches. We have a very wide range of different ages, different branches, different experiences. We're more of a social group that gets together once a month." That roughly 2-year-old display includes a picture of Mullins next to other local women who've served their country. "It's very helpful to have this kind of fellowship as a woman veteran," she said. "I've been with the organization for about 10 years now and the group has been together since the 1990s, well before me. We have a different experience than the men usually have, and it's nice to get together with like-minded people." Those looking for more information on joining Medina County Women of the Military are encouraged to contact treasurer Sally Porter at (330) 472-2699 or smporter@neo.rr.com. Porter served in the U.S. Navy Reserves from 1982 to 2002, right in the middle of her 34-year tenure as a Wadsworth High School business teacher. "Today feels pretty wonderful, just getting to see all these faces and it just so happens to be the weekend we're talking about military women," she said. "To young girls out there thinking of serving, people are needed who are willing to give time and talent. Young women have the time and they definitely have the talent. We're hearing from people who want to be part of this club who are many, many different ages." Also on-hand Sunday was Ellen Rogers of Medina, who works as women veterans program manager for VA Northeast Ohio. She and colleagues cited numerous services available for women at the Cleveland VA Medical Center, 10701 East Blvd. "Just look up there and see that we're on the wall now," said Rogers, who from 1990-96 served as a U.S. Army nurse including during conflict in Somalia. "We need to work on sharing what women can bring to the table and also what our needs are. When you think veteran nowadays peoples' minds don't automatically go to men like they used to." "We're just trying to get more females out there in the service across Medina, Cuyahoga, everywhere," she added. "Exciting things are happening and the sky's the limit. It's an exciting time for women to be whoever they want to be." Contact reporter Jonathan Delozier at 330-721-4050 or jdelozier@medina-gazette.com.