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From the Archives: Honoring Women in the Military for Women's History Month

Summary: 
In honor of Women's History Month, a look back at the women serving in our military and the work they have done to achieve a more equal place in the United States military while securing our freedom as a nation.

In March, we celebrate Women’s History Month to honor the contributions women have made to our society throughout history, and the work they continue to do today. We also commemorate the centuries of progress toward securing equal rights for women, and reaffirm our steadfast commitment to the rights, security, and dignity of women in America and around the world.

Today, and in the coming weeks, we’ll take a look back at some of the ways the White House has honored and celebrated Women’s History Month.  

In March of 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama spoke to servicewomen at Arlington National Cemetery’s Women in Military Service for America Memorial Center. She honored the important role women have played in our military women, and their work navigating the many twists and turns of the struggle for women’s rights in order to secure a more equal and fuller place in the United States military. Thousands of women served bravely in Iraq and Afghanistan—a long way from the days of the Revolutionary War, when Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a man and enlisted in the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment.

Last year, the Department of Veterans Affairs assembled a photo montage to celebrate the accomplishments of women serving in the military. Veterans and their families submitted more than 170 photos of servicewomen, including some that date back to World War II.