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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
COOK COUNTY WOMEN VETERANS APPRECIATION DAY RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, throughout every period of the history of the United States, women have proudly served the United States to secure and preserve freedom and liberty for the people of the United States and its allies; and
WHEREAS, in times of war, women have formally been a part of the United States Armed Forces since the establishment of the Army Nurse Corps in 1901 but have informally served since the inception of the United States military; and
WHEREAS, over 3,000,000 women have served the United States honorably and with valor on land, on sea, in the air, and in space, including “Molly Pitchers” during the American Revolution, by passing as men to serve as soldiers during the Revolutionary War, the Early Republic, and the Civil War, as doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, and Signal Corps telephone operators, “Hello Girls” during World War I, during World War II as members of the Women's Army Corps (commonly known as “WACs”), Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (commonly known as “WAVES”), members of the Coast Guard Women's Reserve (commonly known as “SPARS”), Women Airforce Service Pilots (commonly known as “WASPs”) and nurses; and
WHEREAS, women served as permanent members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, serving as nurses, physicians, physical therapists, air traffic controllers, intelligence specialists, communications specialists, logisticians, and clerks in the Korean War and Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, women served as fixed and rotary wing combat pilots, surface warfare sailors, submariners, artillerists, air defenders, engineers, military police, intelligence specialists, civil affairs specialists, logisticians, and, most recently, in all combat roles in the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, as of April 2020, women constitute approximately 17 percent of United States Armed Forces personnel on active duty, including 21 percent of active-duty personnel in the Air Force and Space Force; 20 percent of active-duty personnel in the Navy; 15 percent of active duty personnel in the Army; 9 percent of active duty personnel in the Marine Corps; and 15 percent of active duty personnel in the Coast Guard; and
WHEREAS, as of September 2019, women constitute nearly 21 percent of personnel in the National Guard and Reserves; These women have been critical to COVID-19 relief, including as part of the personnel in the National Guard and Reserves activated to support COVID-19 response efforts; and
WHEREAS, the population of women veterans has reached nearly 2,000,000, which represents a significant increase from 713,000 women veterans in 1980, and women veterans constitute approximately 10 percent of the total veteran population; and
WHEREAS, Cook County is proud of, and appreciates, the service of all women veterans who have demonstrated great skill, sacrifice, and commitment to defending the principles upon which the United States was founded and which the United States continues to uphold; and
WHEREAS, women veterans have unique stories of service that transcend the history of the United States and should be shared and honored; and
WHEREAS, Congress designated June 12, 2021, as “Women Veterans Appreciation Day”, highlighting the growing presence of women in the Armed Forces and the National Guard, and paying respect to women veterans for their patriotic military service.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners do hereby recognize June 12, 2024, as Women Veterans Appreciation Day and ask that on this day of honor, that all citizens recognize the service and sacrifices of women veterans who have served valiantly on behalf of the United States.
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