Just a quick note about our trip to DC. We were enthusiastically received by the advisory board of the Center for Women Veterans. It is an advocacy program run within the VA. The idea for the screening was initiated by Dr. Betty Moseley Brown and we received a warm welcome from the center director, IreneTrowell-Harris and the board members who are advocates for women vets from all over the country. They were all extremely enthusiastic about SERVICE and will try to help us get it out to all of you. We were really impressed by Colonel Ines White, Military Director DACOWITS. Christina Roof came to support us. She joined us for a bite afterward to celebrate. 

The next day we went to the WREI conference. There we were wowed by an Australian airforce Wing Commander Dee Gibbon, a pilot who is working to find a way to attract more women to flying. There were lots of talks on changing military culture to deal with MST and everyone was dismayed that in 20 years there has not been a lot more progress. Some of the presenters were women professors who teach in the officer training military academies. That in itself is good for women and they talked about training men and women about the myths people tell themselves about rape. There is a new class on women in the military at the U.S.Naval Academy as well.S.W.A.N. was represented and emphasized how change can only come with accountability and changes needed to make that become a reality . We met a lovely writer,producer, professor,Laura Browder who gave a great presentation and is working on a documentary about Moms in the military. Marcia got 2 minutes to pitch SERVICE and we both had a meet and greet with people in the lobby of the Women’s Memorial.

Throughout our DC visit, we met women working in every organization with which many of you are experiencing tremendous frustration, and many of these amazing woman are dedicating themselves, exhausting themselves… trying to address the problems you are struggling with…I make no apologies for any lack of service any woman who has served experiences, but I can tell you they watched our film…which ain’t pollyanna …it is a tough film…we go there…and they were relieved to see the issues getting out there…

Last night, soon after return from DC ,  Marcia and I went to an event in NYC honoring Mrs. Patricia Shinseki, wife of Secretary of the VA, Eric K. Shinseki. We had an opportunity to discuss our project with Secretary Shinseki and we were very impressed by the depth of his interest and willingness to help. He is very concerned about ways in which the VA is not meeting your needs. We were in a room of suits, all waiting in line to meet him, and he took a lot of time listening to us and sharing his thoughts about how important these issues are and giving us advice.

Tomorrow night , Marcia is moderating a panel with the director of Lioness , the current producer of the PBS series on Women, War and Peace and yours truly . We will be discussing Women and the Military. All about you and your sisters all over the world and how they are being presenting in the media. The event is being co-sponsored by New York Women in Film and Television and the NYU Institute of Journalism.

Next?  Winging our way to a screening with Q&A/discussion after at Slippery Rock University, just outside Pittsburgh. 

one more phew,
Patty