Residents gathered at the Natchitoches Parish Veterans and Memorial Park Saturday, Nov. 11 for the Veterans Day Program. This year, all veterans were honored, but a special salute was focused on women veterans. Speaker LTC Heather Owens, Chief Anesthesia Services, BJACH, spoke on the many roles women serve in the military. According to Owens, women make up around 12 percent of the military and their numbers are vastly growing.
A special salute was given to women veterans Joyce Arnold, Betty Mercer Beasley, Sarah Blanchard, Amie Byone, Katherine Carlson, Margaret Wheat Carter, Leilani Chelette, Sheila K. Custis, Jan Martin Darfus, Lorrainne Ebert, Amanda Parkinson Eller, Deanna Fowler, Sandra Gistarb, Margaret Harling, Cassandra Hudson, Jackie Jacoby, Theresa Maggio Janes, Mildred Thibodaux Kane, Donna Melken, Valerie Minchew, Yvette Monette, Britney Montgomery, Monica Reyna, Brenda F. Sowell, Shona Spillman, Sandra Walmsley, Angela Wellington and Carol Wells.
Photos by Hannah Richardson
