June 12 is Women Veterans Recognition Day

DETROIT (FOX 2) - We are saluting the women who have served our country in the military, who despite making the same sacrifices as men, say they don't get the respect they've earned while serving, or when they return home.

June 12th is Women Veterans Recognition Day to celebrate the women who've served this country, championed by the Motown Women Veteran's Association, which is working to change that.

Motown Women Veterans group celebrates, supports female vets of the armed forces

June 12th is Women Veteran's Recognition Day to celebrate the women who've served this country, which is being championed by the Motown Women Veteran's Association, which is working to change that.

"We served this country - we served with pride," said Shannon Danko, MWVA.

Danko and Alexis Derisso served in the United States Marine Corps and the U.S. Army, respectively. But they found there were not a lot of resources for women veterans.

"A lot of our female veterans are home alone, suffering from PTSD or MST, or whatever their issues are," said Derisso. "They feel like there's nobody out there to talk to, that will understand what they're going through."

This is why Derisso founded Motown Women Veterans - and why Danko and hundreds of other women have joined the group.

"Men have war stories, women have battle cries," said Danko. "No one understands what we've been through - verbally abused, sexually abused, treated less-than, and we still rise."

The group supported other women vets last year during Covid with a curbside salute and goodie bag giveaway on Women Veterans Recognition Day.

Alexis DeRisso and Shannon Danko.

This year they've collected videos from women across the country and are debuting their stories on the Motown Women Veterans Facebook page on Saturday.

June 12th is the day back in 1948 that President Harry S. Truman signed the Women's Armed Services Integration Act allowing women to serve in the military.

"The women back in 1948, they got their foot in the door for us and we've been building ever since," Danko said.

They are building a nationwide network taking next year's Women Veterans Recognition Day celebration to Myrtle Beach inviting women veterans from across the country.

These women are hoping that all women veterans have an opportunity to celebrate next year there, which is why they're asking people to donate or sponsor someone who may not be able to afford to go.