The first known woman soldier in the United States armed forces was Deborah Sampson of Massachusetts who, disguised as a man, served in the Revolutionary War. Throughout the history of our armed forces, women have been dedicated patriots, willing to put their lives in grave danger to protect our nation and the freedoms of its people.
The Women's Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 made women, who formerly served only as auxiliaries in times of war, a permanent part of our armed forces. Today, women can be found fulfilling nearly all of the duties that were once the exclusive domain of men in the American military. In 2008, Lieutenant General Ann E. Dunwoody became the first female four-star general in the United States Army. Her promotion highlights not only the great capacity that the skills and efforts of women add to our military, but also the tremendous strides we have made as a society toward the achievement of gender equality in all occupations.
Women’s Military History Week is dedicated to the women who have sacrificed, and who continue to serve and sacrifice, in the nation’s defense. We salute them for their courage.
NOW THEREFORE I, EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim March 19-23 2012, as “Women’s Military History Week.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 20th day of March 2012.
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EDMUND G. BROWN JR.
Governor of California
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