MY TWENTY YEARS BEFORE THE MAST

by Eileen Neiler Eileen A. Morgan Neiler born in East Conemaugh, Pennsylvania on 16 December 1923, the only child of John and Edna Morgan. Growing up during the Great Depression required moving many times as my father sought work. This sometimes meant spending only one year in any particular school. Most of my elementary school

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Posted in: Female Marine, Life After the Corps, veterans, WWIITagged in: , , ,

Charlotte M. Ayers

WMA Life Member Korean Era Veteran Charlotte Ayers was born and raised in Neillsville, WI. In Oct 1952 she enlisted in the Marine Corps, thereby joining her father serving in the Army, two brothers in the Marines, and another brother in the National Guard. After completing Boot Camp and Clerk-Typist School, Ayers was stationed at

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Posted in: History, Life After the Corps, Military, Training, USMC, Values, WMA, Women Marines AssociationTagged in: ,

Barbara Hoadley

USMC Enlisted in 1950 Greetings from Clovis, CA. My name is Barbara Hoadley and I am a proud WMA Life Member #379. I recently attended the WMA Convention in Las Vegas and have also attended conventions in Buena Park, Minnesota, and Charleston as well as the Memorial Dedication in October 1997. These events have given

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Posted in: Boot Camp, Events, Female Marine, History, Marine Corps, Personal Stories, USMC, Values, veterans, Women Marines AssociationTagged in: , , , ,

80th Anniversary Message

Celebrating 80 years since the USMC Women Reserves 13 Feb 2380 years ago, the slogan “Free a Marine to Fight” drew 19,000 women to the USMC Women Reserves during World War II. Today we are approximately 18,000 strong. We have moved from performing mainly clerical positions to filling combat infantry MOS slots worldwide. Every generation

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Posted in: Female Marine, History, Marine Corps, Military, USMC, Values, veterans, WMA, Women Marines Association, WWIITagged in: , , , , , , ,

80th Anniversary of the Marine Corps Women Reserve

13 February 2023 – 80th Anniversary of the Marine Corps Women Reserve Since World War II By Rosa Osborn. It is not widely known why we celebrate 13 February as the Women Marines’ Anniversary.  Eliminating the obvious, when women were officially authorized to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve, one might ask themself why we

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Posted in: Female Marine, History, USMC, ValuesTagged in: , , , ,

Meet Kassie Diaz

WMA LIFE MEMBER An Interview with Kassie Marie DiazBy Alyssa Diaz Known as the first, and only, female to operate unmanned aircraft as an external pilot for the United States Marine Corps and the United States Army, Kassie Diaz also qualified as a Pioneer UAV1 External Pilot in 2002. Additionally, she served as a Corporal

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Posted in: Conflicts, Female Marine, History, Iraq, Life After the Corps, Marine Corps, Values, Women Marines AssociationTagged in: , , , , , ,

2022 – 2024 National Board

The new WMA National Board WMA presents the slate of officers for the 2022-2024 WMA National Board.   The WMA National Bylaws dictates no ballot was necessary. Article Eight, Section 3. Ballots: “An election ballot shall be published only for the office(s) which have received more than one nominee.” The Nominating Committee conducted due diligence

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Posted in: UncategorizedTagged in: , ,

Soldiers’ Angels

The Women Marines Association is proud to partner with Soldiers’ Angels in taking care of our military members and veterans. Soldiers’ Angels is a national nonprofit headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, founded in 2003 by the family of General George Patton. Through its global network of thousands of volunteers,they fulfill its mission of providing aid,

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Posted in: Life After the Corps, Uncategorized, USMC, veterans, VolunteerTagged in: , , , , ,

Our History – Our Service

By Rosa Osborn In 2010, as a warrant officer and several years in the Marine Corps, I thought I knew it all. I knew the history of the Marine Corps. We all do. I didn’t discover just how little I knew until 2010 while attending the WMA Convention in Denver. I was not only amazed

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Posted in: Afghanistan, Awards, Conflicts, Female Marine, History, Iraq, Korean, Marine Corps, Military, Personal Stories, Values, veterans, Vietnam, WMA, WMA History, WWIITagged in: , , , , ,
Rosa Osborn

WMA Member of the Month Rosa Osborn

CWO4 Rosa Osborn (Frank), Retired Rosa Osborn was born Rosa Artiaga, in Queen Creek, Arizona in 1971 and raised primarily in Channelview, Texas. Eight days after graduating high school she was on the yellow footprints at Parris Island. Once asked, why she joined the Marine Corps, she replied that unlike most, she ran away to

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Posted in: AwardsTagged in:
Rosa-Osborn-Julia-Hamblet-Awardee

Rosa Osborn

Julia Hamblet Awardee WMA extends congratulations to WMA Member Rosa Osborn as the 2022 recipient of the Julia Hamblet Award. I want to take this opportunity to announce the recipient of the Julia E. Hamblet Award as our own, Rosa Osborn, for her extraordinary efforts in the preservation of the history of women Marine uniforms

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Posted in: Awards, Female Marine, History, Life After the Corps, Marine Corps, Military, USMC, veterans, Volunteer, WMA, WMA History, Women Marines AssociationTagged in: , ,
Rev. Melinda Townsend

Rev. Melinda Townsend

WMA Mational Chaplain Melinda Townsend was born in Denver, CO and raised primarily in the north-central area of New Mexico (Española, Santa Fe and Taos).  She spent 3 years living in Aguascalientes Mexico as a teenager giving her a wonderful cross-culture living experience and fluency in Spanish.  She graduated from St. Michael’s High School in

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Posted in: Life After the Corps, Membership, Military, Personal Stories, USMC, Volunteer, WMATagged in: , , ,