Women Veterans Day: 75th anniversary of Women's Armed Services Integration Act

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Monday marked the 75th anniversary of the Women's Armed Services Integration Act.

Before the act, women could only be nurses during peacetime. Signed by President Harry Truman on June 12, 1948, the act allowed women to permanently serve in the armed forces.

At the Milwaukee VA Medical Center on 5000 W. National Ave., patients are often helped by veterans, including many women who are grateful they were able to serve.

For reservist veteran Karen Johnson, her almost 33 years serving her country was amazing.

"It was enjoyable, and I had a really good group of people," she said.

Johnson joined in 1976 and tells CBS 58 she always had someone watching her back during her time in the reserve.

"A lot of times, I was in places where I was the only female," she said. "Everybody in there is like a family when you're in the military."

HR Specialist and Coast Guard veteran Alicia Prindle says she loves her work at the medical center. Her mission with the Coast Guard brought her to Wisconsin, where she decided to stay and raise her family.

"It's very important to have women in our armed forces. I can't see how we could go through it without it. I couldn't imagine not being able to have that opportunity given to me," she said. "It's the best decision I ever made."

You might also see Joanna Owens in the halls, a Milwaukee native who joined the Army Infantry Unit in 2007 and was one of the first women in her family to join the military.

"With all these wars, you don't know if you're going to come home, how you're going to come home, or when you're going to come home," Owens said.

Now, she is happy to be a part of the more than 2 million women veterans living in the U.S.

"I'm glad that I did get a chance to go, and when I came home, I'm glad that the VA was here because I still feel like I'm part of the military, but not in the military," Owens explained.

Seventy-five years later, women like this trio, make up about 17% of our nation's armed forces.

"At least now women can do almost anything. A lot of things that I couldn't have done in the years I was in [the military]. They're opening those doors. I'm very thankful and proud of my country for doing that," Johnson said.

If you are a woman veteran, there is specialized care available through the VA, like gynecology services, maternity care, and breast cancer risk assessments.

For more information, visit the Milwaukee VA Medical Center website.