Should women in the military have their own Veterans Day? Some lawmakers think so

Questions arose at the North Carolina General Assembly on Tuesday as a committee weighed the pros and cons of singling out women who have served in the military to honor them in June for Women’s Veterans Day.

The House Homeland Security and Military and Veterans Committee considered whether to adopt Women’s Veterans Day into North Carolina law, which would take place on June 12 each year. The day would commemorate the signing of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948, which allowed women to serve as permanent, regular members of the military.

Several Republicans questioned the purpose of the bill and said they thought Veterans Day in November was for all veterans.

“But just like a lot of things, you know, some of them want their own day, separate,” responded Rep. Edward Goodwin, R-Chowan. “Twenty-seven states have passed a bill just like this, so I guess they’re reaching out to thank the ladies as well as the men.”

States, including New Jersey and North Carolina, have proclaimed June 12 as Women’s Veterans Day, though it is not a national holiday. Rep. Celeste Cairns, R-Carteret, asked how the bill came about and if there have been calls from female veterans for the distinct day of recognition.

“I always took Veterans Day to be, you know, for all veterans,” said Cairns. “As an Army daughter, Army wife, and now Army mom to an active duty daughter, I hesitate to support something that classifies our veterans differently. I think, as a rule, we want our military members to be kind of one unit per se, and I’m just not sure that this makes sense.”

Many Republicans in the room expressed disapproval, and none offered a motion to advance the bill.

Rep. Larry Potts, R-Davidson, said he doesn’t want to vote against his friend and the effort, if it gets a motion, but he believes it would be doing a disservice by separating Women’s Veterans Day from November’s Veterans Day.

Ultimately, when a Democrat member stepped up to offer a motion to approve the bill, no opposition materialized. Following the successful motion, the bill was referred back to the House Rules Committee.

The post Should women in the military have their own Veterans Day? Some lawmakers think so first appeared on Carolina Journal.