When Iraq War veteran Ofelia Velasquez became Madera’s Veterans of Foreign Wars first female officer since the group’s establishment nearly 80 years ago, she was shocked.
“I couldn’t believe I was the first female officer,” Velasquez said. “It kind of made me sad to know not a lot of females are involved, and that’s what I want to get done ... more females being involved here. It’s not just a male thing. Girls can do this too.”
Only seven women are VFW members locally compared to 308 men, though service records stretch across every conflict from World War II to Afghanistan.
Past commander Henry Arredondo said he was proud to see Velasquez chosen last June as the group’s junior vice commander, and felt she’d help close that gap...