Hello, I'm Paul Russo, Director and CEO of the Bay Pines
Healthcare System. I want you to see a glimpse of our Women
Veteran Program here at Bay Pines and pay attention to a few
key take aways. So why? Because it's not only important to learn
what services we provide, it's important to know who we serve.
One way to learn about our women Veterans is to hear their
stories. Our Women Veteran Program serves as a model of
care throughout the VA system, providing healthcare for more
than 13,000 women Veterans. We have a multi-disciplinary team
of healthcare providers that tailor their services to meet
the needs of our women Veterans. And I'm proud of our Women
Veteran Program team for their exemplary commitment to our
our I CARE values.
Thank you for watching.
♪Music♪
You could just smell the gun powder and the blood.
I never dropped out of a run, never dropped out of a
hike and I don't intend to drop out of that.
There was one day where we pulled a lot of people out
of the water that were drowning.
I was very much in love with the Medevac.
So then I said, you're safe here, you're safe, and
he just fell apart.
But then the person actually stopped breathing.
So then we all ended up doing CPR.
And so I got a phone call and it said you know we're going
to Saudi Arabia get your bags.
He came in to shake my hand and he said, "I've come to shake
the hand of the person that saved two lives today."
I'm Donna Sherman, the Women Veteran Program Manager here
at the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System.
When we began the "I Served" photo campaign this year we
didn't really know what to expect.
We knew we wanted to recognize women Veterans for their
service, sacrifice and achievements and
capture each individual personality through
the camera lens.
We also felt this initiative could help acknowledge, in
a concrete way, all women Veterans receiving care at
the VA. Throughout the photoshoot and interviews
we found so much more than we anticipated. We didn't
know the women Veterans we interviewed felt so humble
and grateful to have served.
They didn't necessarily want recognition for their service,
but they did want us to know they belonged right beside
their male counterparts and as Veterans today, they still do.
Although we knew they faced complex individual obstacles
in their military careers, we didn't know they often viewed
these as triumphant moments that helped to define them.
How each, in their own way, transformed these experiences
into powerful sources of personal courage, strength
and grit. As they shared, their love of country was
quite clear and we count them among the ranks of all
Veterans who live among us and seek services at the VA.
We hope you enjoy this behind the scenes look from our
"I served" women's campaign photoshoot.
I thought it was good to highlight women Veterans
I think a lot of times were overlooked.
We experience that at the VFW, at the American Legion,
at the VA, so it's good to kind of remind people that
women in the military since the Civil War.
You're gonna see the best of America. You're gonna serve
with the best Americans. And you're doing it on behalf of
your country. So, you're gonna become an ambassador,
so if you don't see yourself as that now, know that the
day you do that, that's what you become.
Maybe some people you know have some struggles and if my
story can help someone feel related, you know, that's,
that's kind of where I wanted to be a part of this.
And to see women who don't realize that they can belong
that they can, do the work we do. And to feel proud of
being a female in the military.
I was a tough girl. Only girl, three brothers.
So, I knew how to, you know, handle rough situations so
I was able to manuever around. I didn't really have
a lot of issues being in the military. But, um, just sort
of always looking for respect.
I think that everybody needs to know that it's okay that
if you, ya now, if you're not strong for a minute
and need help, if you can get it, get it.
You know, and that I don't think it shows weakness, I
think it shows strength of character, to be okay to know
that you need that for yourself.
I truly enjoy looking at the Vets that come in and seeing
the Purple Hearts and the things and I've always said,
I said, what those people did that came before me, allowed
me, especially as a woman, to do what I was able to do
in the military. So, I have to thank them every day 'cuz
I wouldn't have done what I did without them so.
It was enlightening to me and if you're going to join
the military, understand that you aren't male, you
aren't female, you aren't a gender. You aren't Asian, you
aren't black, you aren't white. In the Navy you're blue.
In the Army, you're green.
You have to empower yourself as a woman, empower yourself as a
soldier. You have to empower yourself to say, I will, I will
continue to be better every day, I will do this. I am not
gonna let this, I'm not gonna be a victim.
I wouldn't really say obstacles. I'm sure there's people that
look at you at first as a woman and think fragile,
but you just prove people wrong and you prove 'em
that I am one of you. I can keep up. I can do what you do.
And again, you prove it. Don't meet the minimum
female standards, meet theirs.
I'd have to say, just because you wake up at four, five
o'clock in the morning, you still have to do PT and drop
your kid off at the daycare. You know, it wasn't easy but.
I didn't have anything to go to if I failed at the military
there was nothing for me to come home to, you know, so
I had to make it my home and make it my future.
I think in order to, you know, sign up for the military
and sign on that dotted line, you need a certain quality of
selflessness. And so when I think about, you know,
"I served," I think about the selflessness of others that,
gave it all.
♪ Music ♪