Office of Veterans Services to Host Fourth Annual Women Veterans' Luncheon and Q&A Panel March 19

Kutztown, PA (03/07/2019) — Kutztown University's Office of Veterans Services will host its fourth annual Women Veterans' Luncheon on Tuesday, March 19, in room 223 of the McFarland Student Union Building.

While the 11 a.m. luncheon is RSVP-only and registration is now closed, a Q&A panel open to the public will follow from approximately 12:15 to 12:45 p.m., seating is limited. The panel will feature VIP keynote speaker Major General (Ret.) Jessica L. Wright. For the second year in a row, the Office of Veterans Services will also be awarding the One Financial Services Military Scholarship Award, accompanied by a presentation.

The theme of this year's luncheon is women trailblazers with a focus on empowerment, celebrating accomplishments and creating awareness of issues faced by this unique population.

Major General (Ret.) Wright presently serves as a highly qualified expert senior mentor with the Center for Strategic Leadership. She is also currently the vice chairman, board of trustees, of Valley Forge Military Academy and College and serves on the National Executive Board for the Army Aviation Association of America. Wright served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness until her retirement in April 2015.

Wright began her military career as an enlistee in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 1975 and retired from the Army National Guard in 2010. Her distinguished 35-year career of military service culminated with her final assignment as the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania and commander of the Pennsylvania National Guard.

Wright is an alumna of the Women's Army Corps Officer Orientation/Officer Candidate School at Fort McClellan, Alabama. Upon graduation from the Officers Rotary Wing Aviator Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama, she became the first female Army aviator in the Army National Guard.

Additionally Wright, a graduate of the CH-47 Aviator Qualification Course and CH-54 Aviator Qualification Course, was the first female aviator to qualify in both the CH-47 and CH-54. Wright commanded the 28th Combat Aviation Brigade, 28th Infantry Division from June 1997 to November 1998. She was the first female maneuver brigade commander in the Army.

Wright graduated from Alderson Broaddus College with a bachelor's degree in social work. She obtained a master's degree in management from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri. She is also a graduate of the Army War College Military Fellowship at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC.

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