The Putnam County Courthouse will host a Town Hall Event Monday, honoring women in the military.
Putnam-Cookeville NAACP Secretary Geeta McMillan said the organization chose women for its focus in this year’s celebration of veterans. McMillan said local career military women can speak about their experiences.
“We call a lot of them unsung heroes,” McMillan said. “And obviously there are a lot of veterans that are unsung heroes, but sometimes we feel like the women kinda fall under the radar, given the difficulties that they face in the service over the generations.”
McMillan said the panelists will discuss their motivations to join the military, obstacles they faced as a woman in the military, feelings toward recognition the received for their work at the time they served. McMillan said the panelists will give advice to audience members interested in joining the military.
“We just feel like, overall, this just gives us an opportunity to kind of put them in the spotlight for a change,” McMillan said.
Officer Anne Austin will moderate the Town Hall, which will feature a panel of three career military women, ranging from ages 30 to 70. McMillan said the panelists will speak about their experiences as women officers and servicewomen. McMillan said each age demographic can offer a different perspective of being in the military.
“It seems like our women always have to prove something,” McMillan said. “Rather than just doing their service, they have to prove that they’re capable. And we feel like that needs to come to the attention of our public.”
McMillan said the night will conclude with a question and answer portion.
The event being co-sponsored by the NAACP and the Putnam County Federation of Democratic Women.