The First African American Nurse – Nancy Leftenant-Colon, Major (Retired) was the first African American nurse to served in the reserve or active-duty Army/Air Nurse Corps, the precursor of the Air Force. She joined the Army Reserves in 1945, unable to get into the regular Army Nurse Corps because she was an African American. The […]
Veteran Stories
The Link Between PTSD and Substance Abuse
For many veterans, the battle doesn’t end when they return home. The shadows of traumatic events loom large, often manifesting as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). As they grapple with this mental health challenge, an alarming trend emerges the undeniable link between PTSD and substance abuse. Understanding this connection is crucial for improving veterans’ mental health […]
Air Force Service Uniform and Service Cap with Insignia to the First American U.S. Air Force, Nurse Corps Female, February 2023
On February 15 and 16, 2023, the National Association of American Veterans, Inc. (NAAV) honored Major (Retired) Nancy Leftenant-Colon, U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps, a true pioneer and trailblazer during her years of military service in the U.S. Armed Forces. Nancy Leftenant-Colon joined the Army Reserve in 1945, unable to get into the regular Army […]
Happy 102nd Birthday to Major Nancy Leftenant-Colon, U.S. Army/Air Force Nurse Corps (Ret)
The First African American Nurse – Nancy Leftenant-Colon, Major (Retired) was the first African American nurse to serve in the reserve or active-duty Army/Air Nurse Corps, the precursor of the Air Force. She joined the Army Reserves in 1945, unable to get into the regular Army Nurse Corps because she was an African American. The […]
Celebrating Our Hero, Ross Malone, Jr. Happy 100th Birthday on February 10, 2022
Ross Malone, Jr. is a World War II Veteran who honorably served in Europe, Belgium, France, Holland and England in the U.S. Army from 1943 through 1946. Ross is from a legacy of Servicemen. His grandfather, Willis Malone served in the Spanish American War. His father, Ross Malone, Sr., fought in World War I. He […]
Meet Brigadier General Julia J. Cleckley, U.S. Army
Brigadier General Julia J. Cleckley, U.S. Army (Retired) is the first African American female to be promoted to Brigadier General in the Army National Guard. She was also the first African American woman to be promoted to the rank of Colonel in the Army National Guard’s Active Reserve (AGR) program and the first woman to […]
A Veteran’s Story By Kevin Kraft in Honor of His Father Robert Michael Kraft
Robert Michael Kraft, U.S. Navy Veteran January 14, 1936 – August 17, 2020 My father’s soul took flight on Monday, August 17th. A least, that’s how I prefer to think about it. He was a career naval pilot and always talked about flying like it was a transcendent, mystical experience, full of beauty and […]
FOX 5 On The Hill: Veterans’ Healthcare Concerns Interview with Darlin Selnick, a Disabled Veteran by Fox 5 Tom Fitzgerald in July 2021
Happy 101st Birthday to Major Nancy Leftenant-Colon, (Ret) U.S. Army/Air Force Nurse Corps
The First African American Nurse – Nancy Leftenant-Colon, Major (Retired) was the first African American nurse to serve in the reserve or active-duty Army/Air Nurse Corps, the precursor of the Air Force. *https://www.becauseofthemwecan.com/ She joined the Army Reserve in 1945, unable to get into the regular Army Nurse Corps because she was African American. The […]
May Featured Story
Celebration of an American Hero – A Tuskegee Airmen ***The Tuskegee Experience captured 1941-1949 A long procession of cars representing American Legion, VFW, Elks Lodge, and personally owned vehicles, escorted by Loudoun County Sheriff’s Department Motorcycle Officers, and a line of pedestrian standing along the street corners leading up to the home of a WWII […]