Photo By Megan Hearst | Chief Master Sgt. Dawn Kolczynski, right, senior enlisted leader, J-3/5/7, Defense...... read more read more
The Air Force Medical Service held its second Women’s Equality Day event Aug. 26, 2024, at the Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Virginia, welcoming attendees virtually and in-person to celebrate the women of the AFMS with a historical overview and an all-female leadership panel discussion.
During the event, hosted by the AFMS Diversity and Inclusion Office, panelists navigated through topics such as self-advocacy in the workplace and in their personal lives, the importance of mentorship, and empowering other women especially future generations to reach their versions of success despite inequity.
In 1973, the U.S. Congress declared Aug. 26 as Women’s Equality Day to commemorate the adoption of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits denying the right to vote on the basis of sex. Today, the observance highlights the contributions that women like those of the AFMS have contributed to history since the amendment passed in 1920.
Stephen Mounts, Associate Deputy Surgeon General, opened the event recognizing several senior medical officers, acknowledging their contributions to the Department of the Air Force, and their impact on the AFMS: Brig. Gen. Gwendolyn Foster who recently assumed command of the 59th Medical Wing, the Air Force’s premier health care, medical and education research, and readiness wing; Maj. Gen. Jeannine Ryder, who had her share of firsts as the first female commander of the 59th MDW in 2021 and the 711th Human Performance Wing in 2020, and now commands the Air Force Medical Agency and serves as director of the Defense Health Network Continental; and, retired Lt. Gen. Dorothy Hogg, who was the first nurse and the first female U.S. Air Force and Space Force Surgeon General.
“We have an impressive group of people on this panel who exemplify everything we want in a professional and in a leader, and by the way, they happen to be female,” Mounts said.
Participating panelists included U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Dawn Kolczynski, senior enlisted leader, J-3/5/7, Defense Health Agency; U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Michelle Wagner, mobilization assistant to the Deputy Surgeon General; U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Trenise Turner, deputy division chief, Office of the Surgeon General, Defense Intelligence Agency; Rita Brown, Air Force Medical Agency resourcing division chief and chief financial officer; and Dr. Tiffany Lange, clinical psychologist and Transgender Health program manager, DHA.
According to the Department of Defense’s 2022 demographic profile, more than 2.1 million individuals who make up the department’s Total Force Strength; 19.1% of those are women. Within the Air Force Medical Service, of 45,000 Total Force medics approximately 51% are women, according to Envision which captures data from the Military Personnel Data System and various Air Force databases.
“Although today we are celebrating women, I’m hopeful in the future everyone will come to these events to grow personally while striving to improve diversity and equality in all aspects of our lives,” Mounts said. “We’re better than we’ve ever been in history at creating equality and opportunities for women, but we are nowhere near where we want to be. Today is a recognition of how much progress we’ve made.”
The panelists offered their experiences as women who have created their careers within the Department of Defense, a male-dominated space. They shared the challenges of balancing work with family and self-care, while growing a community of support through peers and mentors in facing life’s challenges.
Brown began her career in the civil service at a level equivalent of a GS-1, and has served for more than two decades. She cited that her grit and the experience gained from remaining undeterred by biases and stereotypes has helped her develop personally and professionally.
“I worked my way through the system,” Brown said. “But through it all, one of the main things I gained from that was empathy. I gained strength and resolve through struggle. It made me an intentional leader. It made me into someone who is intuitive of the individuals around me.”
Brown also acknowledged the importance of mental health and finding support through mentors and friends, who are vital to her own success and ability to navigate obstacles.
“You’re going to have family issues as a mother, as a wife, as a caretake of a parent. Your life will hit you hard, so you have to be able to balance. You have to self-care. You must have someone you can talk to. You can’t live in a silo,” Brown reflected.
Kolczynski echoed her sentiment that as women, “lots of times we are that mom, wife, daughter. We carry that sense of responsibility that we need to be there for everyone. Seek that help when you need it. [Otherwise] it just gets in the way of your everyday life.”
The panelists also shared their experiences of how sense of community among military medical professionals has enriched their personal and professional journey. Turner, who has 20 years of experience as a registered nurse and recently graduated to become a certified nurse practitioner, credited guidance from mentors for her evolving career and commitment to self-development.
“Every day, we have to be committed to getting up, having that attitude that I’m not stopping no matter what the situation looks like,” Turner said. “And that’s what it takes to make headway for other women. We have to set the tone so that those coming behind us can have a path to follow and go further.”
The panelists also spoke on breaking or raising the ‘glass ceiling’ - a term widely used for the social barrier women experience while striving to reach higher management positions - in light of many ‘firsts’ such as Brig. Gen. Gwendolyn Foster becoming the first active duty black woman in the AFMS to be promoted to brigadier general and the first black woman to command the 59th Medical Wing.
“Our firsts highlight what we can do,” said Lange, who joined virtually, posited to the group and their audience. “So how do we make sure it’s not the last or the exception?”
And when asked about inequality within the LGBTQIA community, she addressed the similarities in the struggles for working toward equality.
“We have to foster an environment that encourages community,” Lange said.
The panel concluded with a live audience Q&A diving further into the themes of community, growth, and setting a path forward for future women.
| Date Taken: | 09.25.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.25.2024 10:47 |
| Story ID: | 479847 |
| Location: | FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 7 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, AFMS celebrates Women’s Equality Day with female leadership panel, by Maristela Romero, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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