WASHINGTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson has announced the appointment of six new members to the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans, an expert panel that advises him on issues and programs affecting women veterans.
“This advisory committee contributes to the success of VA programs affecting women veterans,” Nicholson said. “It helps VA strengthen health care, benefits, rehabilitation, outreach and other programs for women veterans.”
Established in 1983, the 14-member advisory committee makes recommendations for administrative and legislative changes to VA policies. The committee members are appointed to two-year terms.
The new committee members include Dr. Jacqueline Morgan from Seattle; Carlene Narcho from Fort Apache, Ariz.; Lorna Papke-Dupouy from Greenfield Center, N.Y.; Col. Shirley Ann Quarles from Stone Mountain, Ga.; Capt. Emily Sanford from Huntington Beach, Calif.; and Chief Master Sgt. Sara Sellers from Johnson City, Tenn.
Women veterans are one of the fastest growing segments of the veteran population. There are approximately 1.7 million women veterans. They comprise 6.5 percent of the total veteran population and 6 percent of all veterans who use VA health care services. VA estimates that by 2010 women veterans will comprise 10 percent of veterans using VA health care services.
VA has women veterans program managers at 158 hospitals to assist these veterans on health issues and approximately 73 women veterans coordinators to assist on benefits issues.
Membership VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans
· Marsha Tansey Four (Chair), Springfield, Pa. An Army nurse during the Vietnam War, currently director of Homeless Veterans Services for the Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service and Education Center, Inc.
· Gwen M. Diehl, Taylorville, Ill. A retired sergeant first class, staff assistant to the deputy director for operations for the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
· Cynthia J. Falzone, S. Setauket, N.Y. A veteran of the Army, an accredited veterans service officer at the American Legion and Vietnam Veterans of America, and state veterans counselor of the New York State Division of Veterans Affairs.
· Edward E. Hartman, Bowie, Md. A disabled Gulf War veteran, now the national director of voluntary services for the Disabled American Veterans (DAV).
· Dr. Jacqueline Morgan, Seattle. Retired physician and retired colonel in the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps.
· Kathleen A. Morrissey, TomsRiver, N.J. An Army nurse in Vietnam, retired colonel in the New Jersey Army National Guard and former director of New Jersey's Veterans Health Care Services.
· Carlene M. Narcho, Fort Apache, Ariz. Veteran of the U.S. Army and currently the executive director of the White Mountain Apache Tribe Department of Social Services.
· Joan E. O'Connor, Boston. A retired commander in the Naval Reserve, currently the general counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Veterans' Services.
· Lorna Papke-Dupouy, Greenfield Center, N.Y. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.
· Shirley Ann Quarles, Stone Mountain, Ga. Director, women’s health research initiatives program and colonel in the Army Nurse Corps of the U.S. Army Reserves.
· Emily Sanford, Huntington Beach, Calif. A retired captain in the U.S. Navy.
· Winsome Earle Sears, Norfolk, Va. A former corporal of the Marine Corps.
· Sara A. Sellers, Johnson City, Tenn. Retired chief master sergeant from the U.S. Air Force, former commissioner of the American Battle Monuments Commission.
· Luc M. Shoals, Edmond, Okla. A retired chief master sergeant in the Air National Guard, and former personnel superintendent for the headquarters of the Oklahoma Air National Guard and minority officer recruiter for the Air National Guard.
