Today, I salute Navy Veteran Melissa Washington. Melissa was 18, going to community college, and decided to join the Navy, when she told her friends and family, no one believed her. Her three years in the Navy took her to the Mediterranean and Somalia. When she retired, she turned her focus to women’s representation and community for Veterans like herself. Ten years ago, she brought together a group of women in Sacramento to chat about their experiences. This meet-up grew into a global organization: Women Veterans Alliance. For these reasons and more, Melissa was just named the Military Friendly California Veteran of the Year and the National Veteran of the Year for her work advocating for women’s rights in the veteran space. Congratulations, Melissa, and THANK YOU for your service.
