June A. Willenz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
June Willenz
|
|
|---|---|
Willenz with Hillary Clinton, c. 1990's
|
|
| Born |
June Adele Friedenberg
December 17, 1924 |
| Died | May 3, 2020 (aged 95) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
|
| Alma mater | University of Michigan (BA, MPhil) The New School (ABD) |
| Occupation | Veterans' rights activist |
| Years active | 1945–2020 |
| Spouse(s) |
Eric Willenz
(m. 1951–1968) |
| Children | 2 |
June Adele Willenz (born Friedenberg; December 17, 1924 – May 3, 2020) was an American who worked hard to help military veterans. She was the Executive Director of the American Veterans Committee (AVC). She also wrote a book called Women Veterans: America's Forgotten Heroines.
June Willenz also started the idea for a special memorial to honor women who served in the military. This memorial is called the Women in Military Service for America Memorial. It is located at Arlington National Cemetery. In 2011, she was honored by being added to the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Education
June Willenz was born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 17, 1924. She grew up in Brooklyn. Her father, Benjamin Friedenberg, was a civil engineer. Her mother, Sara Friedenberg, was a housewife.
June finished high school when she was 16 years old. She first studied at Brooklyn College. Then, she moved to the University of Michigan. There, she earned a bachelor's degree in Chemistry in 1945. Two years later, she earned a master's degree in Philosophy.
After that, she continued her studies in Philosophy at The New School for Social Research in New York. She completed almost all of her work for a doctorate degree there. During her time at The New School, she met Eric Willenz. They got married in 1951 and had two daughters, Pam and Nicole. They later divorced in 1968.
Helping Veterans
After finishing her studies, June Willenz worked in different jobs. She wrote articles for the Stars and Stripes newspaper. She also taught at Montgomery College in Takoma Park, Maryland. She even led a research program for the United States Department of Labor about finding jobs for women veterans.
In 1965, June became the executive director of the American Veterans Committee (AVC). She held this important job until the committee closed in 2003. When she joined the AVC, she was the first and only woman to lead a veterans' organization.
Fighting for Fair Treatment
June found out that many minority veterans had been given "less-than-honorable" discharges. This often happened for small mistakes. She started working to make people aware of how unfair this was. She created the first program to give legal help to veterans with problems related to their military discharge.
Because of her hard work, thousands of Vietnam War veterans had their discharges changed. They were upgraded to "general" or "honorable" status. This meant they could get the benefits they deserved.
Leading the Way for Women Veterans
June Willenz was also the first woman to lead the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Task Force on Military/Veterans Affairs. She was also the first woman to chair a special Presidential Subcommittee on Disabled Veterans. She was praised for her "outstanding leadership" in this role.
She organized a conference about the Draft. This conference helped create a national discussion and influenced government policy.
June strongly supported the rights and recognition of women veterans. In 1983, she wrote her book, Women Veterans: America's Forgotten Heroines. This book shared the stories of many women who served in the military. It also showed how their service affected their lives. The book also pointed out the unfair differences in benefits between men and women veterans. It highlighted how the government often overlooked women veterans.
Because of her book, the Congress held its first hearings about women veterans. The Veterans Administration also created a Women Veterans Advisory Committee. June Willenz also started the idea for a national memorial to honor women veterans. Her work with the AVC eventually led to the building of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial.
For 22 years, June Willenz led the Committee on Women for the World Veterans Federation. This group fought for women's rights during both peacetime and wartime. She represented the Federation at the United Nations. She brought attention to the problems faced by women in armed conflicts. She is recognized for helping women have a bigger voice in international matters. This led to United Nations Security Council resolutions that now include women in peacemaking and peacekeeping efforts. They also include women in plans for rebuilding after conflicts.
Later Life and Death
June Willenz passed away on May 3, 2020, in Bethesda, Maryland. She was 95 years old. She had a heart attack after having emergency hip surgery.
