KDSN RADIO News
Homecoming events for Iowan who’s VFW national commander
A series of events are planned through this weekend to honor the Iowan who’s been elected national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Carol Whitmore of Des Moines is the first woman to lead the VFW. “I may be the first veteran to be elected as VFW Commander-in-Chief wearing a dress,” she said in her acceptance speech last month, “….but I will not be the last.”
Whitmore is a 1973 graduate of North Tama High School. She attended the University of Northern Iowa and Hawkeye Community College, then enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps in 1977, a year before it was disbanded and women became part of the regular Army. “I was driven by a sense of duty, a desire to serve something greater than myself, and little did I know that decision would shape me in ways I could never have imagined,” Whitmore said. “There’s a saying in the military, ‘Leave no one behind,’ and that ethos is more than just a slogan. It’s a way of life.”
Whitmore, who served in the military for 36 years, was a first sergeant in her unit when it deployed to Iraq. She joined a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Des Moines in 2012. “We need to ensure that the sacrifices of fellow veterans are never forgotten. We need to advocate for the care and resources that fellow veterans deserve, whether that’s health care, employment, or mental health support,” Whitmore said. “Too many of our brothers and sisters face hardships when they return home. They deserve better, and it’s up to us to make sure they receive it.”
Whitmore is the first Iowan to lead the VFW. Homecoming events to honor Whitmore start today with a reception at a hotel in downtown Des Moines and conclude with a banquet on Saturday night.
