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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? 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'' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Atlanta</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:GAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/georgia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Georgia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/its-easy-to-contact-aarp-georgia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-ATLANTA-GA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpGA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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}); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </title> <meta name="page_title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can" name="description"/> <meta content="Military, Veteran, BriGette, McCoy, Finds, Purpose, with, Women, Social, Justice, Network" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/georgia/military-veteran-brigette-mccoy-finds-purpose-with-the-women-veteran-social-justice-network" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/military-veteran-brigette-mccoy-finds-purpose-with-the-women-veteran-social-justice-network-ga-2020-06-16.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8716e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/543x349+0+70/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F67%2F29%2F65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb%2Fbrigette-mccoy.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta property="og:description" content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8716e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/543x349+0+70/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F67%2F29%2F65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb%2Fbrigette-mccoy.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? 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'' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? 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} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Atlanta</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:GAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/georgia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Georgia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/its-easy-to-contact-aarp-georgia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-ATLANTA-GA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpGA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.root.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54]Code Context<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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}); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </title> <meta name="page_title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can" name="description"/> <meta content="Military, Veteran, BriGette, McCoy, Finds, Purpose, with, Women, Social, Justice, Network" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/georgia/military-veteran-brigette-mccoy-finds-purpose-with-the-women-veteran-social-justice-network" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/military-veteran-brigette-mccoy-finds-purpose-with-the-women-veteran-social-justice-network-ga-2020-06-16.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8716e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/543x349+0+70/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F67%2F29%2F65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb%2Fbrigette-mccoy.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta property="og:description" content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8716e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/543x349+0+70/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F67%2F29%2F65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb%2Fbrigette-mccoy.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? 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} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Atlanta</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:GAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/georgia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Georgia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/its-easy-to-contact-aarp-georgia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-ATLANTA-GA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpGA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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}); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </title> <meta name="page_title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can" name="description"/> <meta content="Military, Veteran, BriGette, McCoy, Finds, Purpose, with, Women, Social, Justice, Network" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/georgia/military-veteran-brigette-mccoy-finds-purpose-with-the-women-veteran-social-justice-network" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/military-veteran-brigette-mccoy-finds-purpose-with-the-women-veteran-social-justice-network-ga-2020-06-16.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8716e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/543x349+0+70/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F67%2F29%2F65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb%2Fbrigette-mccoy.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta property="og:description" content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8716e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/543x349+0+70/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F67%2F29%2F65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb%2Fbrigette-mccoy.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Atlanta</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:GAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/georgia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Georgia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/its-easy-to-contact-aarp-georgia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-ATLANTA-GA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpGA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."
McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.
"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.
The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.
Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.
The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.
Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.
"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."
It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.
"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.
McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.
"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."
McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.
"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.
McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.
The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST.
The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.
For more information on both events, please visit The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.
Thursday, Jul 25, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. ET
Georgia World Congress Center
Atlanta, GA
Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET
Zoom
Online Event
Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. ET
Online Event
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Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1]Code Context$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = falseinclude - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242]Code Context<?php // if (!$nowrapper) (Globals::$language == 'es') ? include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_footer_es.html") : include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_footer.html"); ?>
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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248d64b-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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}); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </title> <meta name="page_title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can" name="description"/> <meta content="Military, Veteran, BriGette, McCoy, Finds, Purpose, with, Women, Social, Justice, Network" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/georgia/military-veteran-brigette-mccoy-finds-purpose-with-the-women-veteran-social-justice-network" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/military-veteran-brigette-mccoy-finds-purpose-with-the-women-veteran-social-justice-network-ga-2020-06-16.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8716e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/543x349+0+70/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F67%2F29%2F65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb%2Fbrigette-mccoy.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta property="og:description" content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8716e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/543x349+0+70/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F67%2F29%2F65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb%2Fbrigette-mccoy.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248d64b-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Atlanta</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:GAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/georgia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Georgia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/its-easy-to-contact-aarp-georgia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-ATLANTA-GA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpGA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </title> <meta name="page_title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can" name="description"/> <meta content="Military, Veteran, BriGette, McCoy, Finds, Purpose, with, Women, Social, Justice, Network" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/georgia/military-veteran-brigette-mccoy-finds-purpose-with-the-women-veteran-social-justice-network" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/military-veteran-brigette-mccoy-finds-purpose-with-the-women-veteran-social-justice-network-ga-2020-06-16.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8716e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/543x349+0+70/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F67%2F29%2F65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb%2Fbrigette-mccoy.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta property="og:description" content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8716e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/543x349+0+70/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F67%2F29%2F65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb%2Fbrigette-mccoy.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248d64b-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243]Code Context<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248d64b-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Atlanta</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:GAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/georgia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Georgia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/its-easy-to-contact-aarp-georgia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-ATLANTA-GA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpGA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </title> <meta name="page_title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can" name="description"/> <meta content="Military, Veteran, BriGette, McCoy, Finds, Purpose, with, Women, Social, Justice, Network" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/georgia/military-veteran-brigette-mccoy-finds-purpose-with-the-women-veteran-social-justice-network" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/military-veteran-brigette-mccoy-finds-purpose-with-the-women-veteran-social-justice-network-ga-2020-06-16.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8716e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/543x349+0+70/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F67%2F29%2F65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb%2Fbrigette-mccoy.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta property="og:description" content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8716e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/543x349+0+70/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F67%2F29%2F65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb%2Fbrigette-mccoy.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248d64b-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? 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Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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}); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </title> <meta name="page_title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can" name="description"/> <meta content="Military, Veteran, BriGette, McCoy, Finds, Purpose, with, Women, Social, Justice, Network" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/georgia/military-veteran-brigette-mccoy-finds-purpose-with-the-women-veteran-social-justice-network" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/military-veteran-brigette-mccoy-finds-purpose-with-the-women-veteran-social-justice-network-ga-2020-06-16.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8716e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/543x349+0+70/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F67%2F29%2F65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb%2Fbrigette-mccoy.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network "/> <meta property="og:description" content="Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e8716e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/543x349+0+70/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F67%2F29%2F65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb%2Fbrigette-mccoy.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? 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'' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? 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'' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248d64b-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Atlanta</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:GAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/georgia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Georgia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/its-easy-to-contact-aarp-georgia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-ATLANTA-GA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpGA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244]Code Contextinclude (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Military Veteran BriGette McCoy Finds Purpose with the Women Veteran Social Justice Network </h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 06/16/20 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/67/29/65ad9307437a8f23da03aafd65bb/brigette-mccoy.jpg" alt="BriGette McCoy.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>Philanthropist and Military Veteran BriGette McCoy found a passion for supporting other women veterans, while creating a space where women veterans can be "honored and welcomed."<br><br>McCoy is the founder and pro bono CEO of Women Veteran Social Justice Network (WVSJ). She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? 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'' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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She founded The WVSJ Network in 2008 as an online discussion group. In 2009, the group moved to Facebook. The WVSJ Network’s mission is to honor and welcome women veterans of all eras, all service times, and all service branches.<br><br>"There are a lot of women of various ages who do not get invited to certain spaces because they do not meet the narrative of what people perceive what a veteran should look like," McCoy said.</p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/d0/65/cf418e394f7285917e123f294311/group-photo-1.png" alt="group photo 1.png"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network provides outreach to women veterans, enhances cultural relevance on how to engage women veterans, and offers programs and services to women veterans to help them understand how to identify.<br><br>Over the years, the WVSJ Network has evolved from meeting with local veterans to becoming a three-prong empowered group working to change policy, to change how women are respected in the community, and to support women who may have experienced abuse while serving their country.<br><br>The WVSJ Network has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2020 Citizen Honors Award from The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The organization also hosts several programs and services, including a podcast, which AARP Georgia sponsored. The podcast allows women veterans to give the narrative of their service and their transition.<br><br>Along with other initiatives, The Women Veteran Social Justice Network also brings awareness to military sexual trauma.<br><br>"My mentor told me what military sexual trauma was in 2006. I had never heard of the term before," McCoy said. "It took me two years to realize that this is something that may be impacting me."<br><br>It wasn't until McCoy testified before Congress that she realized she was the best person to speak about military sexual trauma.<br><br>"A friend asked me if I would be interested in policy changes related to military sexual trauma, and of course, I said yes. I did not know at the time that meant they wanted me to testify," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy said that going before Congress made her realize that she needed to be on the panel.<br><br>"It wasn't until I looked at who they chose to speak and I saw who they didn't have. I realized it was important for me to be a part of that."<br><br>McCoy said that it was "very scary" to her, but she knew it was something bigger once her cellphone started to ring with calls from CNN, MSNBC, and other news outlets.<br><br>"I was amazed at how impactful it was for women to come forth -- and also men. From 2013-2015, I was still talking about sexual trauma in the military," McCoy said.<br><br>McCoy says that The WVSJ Network will continue to support women veterans, while educating women veterans through an e-learning platform.<br><br>The WVSJ Network will host a virtual hiring event, consisting of workshops and online interviews, on June 17, 2020, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. EST. </p><div class="Enhancement"> <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="center"><img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/a7/cd/514cdb6044569cce0440cfd225a5/group-photo-2.jpg" alt="group photo 2.jpg"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>The WVSJ Network will also co-host a virtual event called herStory: The Impact of Women in the Armed Forces Exhibit with Unsung Heroes. The exhibit will run from July 1st- Dec. 14. The event will showcase the art of women veterans.<br><br>For more information on both events, please visit<span class="Enhancement"><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://Facebook.com/4wvsj" target="_blank"> The WVSJ Network’s Facebook Page.</a></span></span><br></p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; 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} </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248d64b-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248d64b-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248d64b-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c59248e57c-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c59248e57c-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-ATLANTA-GA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Georgia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Atlanta</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:GAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/georgia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Georgia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/its-easy-to-contact-aarp-georgia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-ATLANTA-GA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPGeorgia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpGA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); 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