Annual observance on February 19 to honor women veterans and support their post-service transition through camaraderie and resource-sharing.
Last updated February 24, 2026 · by the
Holiday Calendar Team
Active Veterans With Answers, a nonprofit in North Carolina, established the Vet Girls ROCK initiative in November 2017 in partnership with National Day Calendar. The first observance was held on February 19, 2018, and the name was updated to Vet Girls RISE after two years.
Get ready to salute the women who served on National Vet Girls Rise Day, observed every February 19. Originally launched as National Vet Girls ROCK Day, this holiday spotlights the more than two million women who have worn a U.S. military uniform and the unique challenges they face when they return to civilian life.
The day grew out of Active Veterans With Answers, a nonprofit founded by retired service members in North Carolina who saw firsthand how difficult the transition from military to civilian life can be, especially for women.
National Vet Girls RISE Day was created to help fill a pressing gap. More than two million women have served in the United States military, yet for much of American history their contributions went unrecognized or were actively minimized. This holiday was created to change that by giving women veterans a dedicated day for connection, celebration, and public awareness.
Women have supported the U.S. military since the Revolutionary War, working as nurses, cooks, and washerwomen. During the Civil War, over 400 women reportedly disguised themselves as men to fight. Formal enlistment opened slowly. In 1917, Loretta Perfectus Walsh became the first woman to enlist in the Navy in a non-nursing capacity, joining as a Yeoman and later becoming the first female petty officer. During World War II, roughly 140,000 women served in the Army alone through the Women's Army Corps, working as linguists, cryptographers, and weather forecasters. President Truman signed the Women's Armed Services Integration Act on June 12, 1948, granting women permanent military status, though restrictions on combat and promotion persisted for decades.
Full integration took much longer. In 2013, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey rescinded the direct ground combat exclusion rule. By 2015, all combat positions were officially open to women. That progress created a growing population of women veterans, many facing challenges such as post-traumatic stress, military sexual trauma, and difficulty finding community after leaving service.
In 2017, AVWA launched the Vet Girls ROCK initiative. The first National Vet Girls ROCK Day was observed in 2018 with meetups at restaurants across the country, including partnerships with Chili's Grill and Bar. After two years, the initiative rebranded as Vet Girls RISE, an acronym for Relevant, Innovative, Successful, and Evolving, to better reflect its mission of professional and personal growth for women veterans.
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WHY THIS DAY MATTERS
The holiday is more than a social media hashtag. It is built around in-person meetups at restaurants across the country, creating real-world opportunities for women veterans to form alliances, access transition resources, and support one another through professional and personal challenges.
Women now make up about 17 percent of the active-duty force, yet many feel invisible in traditional veteran spaces that were built around the experiences of men. This day gives women veterans a dedicated platform to connect, share resources, and rebuild the camaraderie they often miss after leaving the military.
From Loretta Perfectus Walsh enlisting in the Navy in 1917 to the 700,000-plus women who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, women have shaped the U.S. military for over a century. This holiday is one of the few days each year that centers their contributions and sacrifices specifically.
Honor the brave women who have served our country on the anniversary of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial. Salute!
Honor the brave men and women on National Salute to Veteran Patients Day - thanking them for their service and sacrifice for our freedom.
Honor our veterans and show your support on VFW Day - join events, volunteer, or simply say thank you to those who have served.
Celebrate National Women Support Women Day by showing your support for the amazing women in your life!
