Events celebrating women being allowed to serve as permanent, active members of the U.S. military and eligible for VA benefits continue through June. Trailblazing Marine Corps veteran Dr. Betty Moseley Brown, pictured above, shares her story and encourages women veterans to connect with the benefits and resources earned through their service. A big opportunity to do just that is presented by a benefits summit held in San Antonio in July.
Women Veterans Day is celebrated each year on June 12, marking the day in 1948 when President Harry S. Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, allowing women to serve as permanent members of the U.S. Armed Forces and making them eligible for the same benefits as men.
That historic law opened the door for generations of women to serve their country and build military careers.
Dr. Moseley Brown was one of them. She joined the Marine Corps in 1978 right after high school and witnessed first hand how opportunities for women in the military evolved over the years.
“We started as women Marines. We had makeup classes. We had skirts and high heels and pantyhose,” Moseley Brown recalled. “And through the transition between the decades to 1992, I shot a weapon. We were brought up to speed in sync with the male Marines regarding physical fitness, and we were then called Marines. Marines, no more women Marines.”
After leaving active duty, Dr. Moseley Brown continued serving by helping fellow Marines prepare for life after the military, working with the Transition Assistance Program that gives transitioning service members the tools they need to succeed in civilian life.
“So the Marines were actually the first to make it mandatory for their members to sit through the Transition Assistance Program,” Moseley Brown said. “And over the years, they’ve added and revised it to make it even better. Not everyone wants to go to college. Not everyone has a job waiting for them. Some people want to start their own business. And now the benefits have gotten so wonderful.”
Today, the Transition Assistance Program helps service members learn about resources regarding employment, education, entrepreneurship, financial planning, and veterans’ benefits before they leave the military.
Dr. Moseley Brown continues her service to her fellow service members and all veterans. Her VA career, spanning decades, began in the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) in San Diego.
Women veterans are invited to join Dr. Moseley Brown at the Women Veterans Day event in Boerne, Texas on June 27 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Veterans Park, 801 South Main Street. The event is open to women veterans, their families, and community members who want to celebrate the contributions of women who have served and learn more about available benefits and resources. Listen to The Voice of Texas Veterans podcast to learn more about Dr. Moseley Brown’s experiences.
Women veterans will have a unique opportunity to connect with benefits and services this summer through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Women Veterans Enrollment Initiative.
Texas is the first stop in a nationwide effort to reach more women veterans and help them learn about their earned benefits. The Southwest Summit will bring together women veterans from Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio on July 24 and 25, 2026. Registration closes July 17.
With more than 200,000 women veterans calling Texas home, organizers hope the summit will help attendees discover resources, ask questions, and make valuable connections.
For information about upcoming Women Veterans Day events and other activities for veterans, visit the Texas Veterans Commission events calendar and follow TVC social media channels for updates on the Women Veterans Enrollment Initiative Southwest Summit.
The Texas Veterans Commission also encourages women veterans to explore the many free services available through TVC, including disability claims assistance, employment services, education benefits, mental health resources, entrepreneurship support, and more.
