Long Island Air Force Association honors 29 women at medal ceremony

The Long Island Air Force Association honored 29 women at its Women's Military Service Medal Ceremony, the organization's annual event commemorating the work of active and retired female service members.

The event, held Saturday at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, centered on the evolving role of women in the military, the unique challenges they face and the heroism displayed by generations of female service members.

Marine Corps Capt. Marcela Cavalcanti, a 19-year veteran and one of the recipients of the Women's Military Service Medal, said her service was made possible by the women who came before her.

"They've paved the road," said Cavalcanti, who was born and raised in Brazil. "For all the adversity they overcame through the years is the reason why I'm able to stand where I am today."

Retired Air Force Col. Bill Stratemeier, Long Island Air Force Association's chief of staff, said this was the fourth year the association was holding the ceremony specifically honoring women. He said he felt it was necessary to highlight their contributions in a male-dominated field that has historically come with challenges for women.

A U.S. Department of Defense 2023 report stated that women made up 17.7% of the military that year, up slightly from 17.5% in 2022.

And when in the armed forces, some women face gender-based discrimination. A 2021 study conducted by the Air Force Inspector General found minorities and women are underrepresented in leadership positions, the Associated Press reported. About one in three women reported experiencing sexual harassment or assault while in the military, said the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

"It's not easy being a woman in the military," Stratemeier said. "It's a male-dominated society and there are so many issues with discrimination, harassment and assault."

The association accepts applications for its Women's Military Service Medal Ceremony on its website. The recipients received a medal and certificate Saturday against the musical backdrop of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Band.

Jennifer Baxmeyer, the executive director of the Cradle of Aviation Museum, said the ceremony matches the museum's ambition of telling stories and inspiring future generations.

"By having this event here and having these women here and honoring them, we're helping to keep that story and legacy going and getting the next generation excited," Baxmeyer said.

Retired Col. Pamela Combs, who served as commander of the Air National Guard's 106th Rescue Wing Medical Group, said she and the other women at the event "got here through the hard work and dedication to duty of all those women who preceded us."

"We got here because those women dared not to back down in the face of danger, proving they were just as military tough as the other men they served with," Combs said.

CORRECTION: The title of USMC Sgt. Alexandra Khan was incorrect in the caption of a previous version of this story.

By Joseph Ostapiuk

joseph.ostapiuk@newsday.com@OstapiukJ