Principal deputy under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness Charles S. Abell swore in the thirteen members of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services Dec. 3, 2002, during their training session in Arlington, Va.
The incoming members are: Retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Carol A. Mutter of Brownsburg, Ind., as the chair; Catherine Aspy of Keizer, Ore.; Lynda Davis of Great Falls, Va.; J.P. Duniphan of Rapid City, S.D.; Bonnie Fuller Ford of Albuquerque, N.M.; Julie Hamre of Bethesda, Md.; Constance Horner of Washington, D.C.; Susan Patane of Loma Linda, Calif.; Retired Army Reserve Col. Darryl Ladd Pattillo of Austin, Texas; Margaret Robson of Washington, D.C.; Virginia Rowell of Vienna, Va.; Retired Air Force Reserve Col. Vance Shaw of McLean, Va.; and Rosalie Silberman of Washington, D.C.
The committee adopted three topics to focus on as priorities: women's health care, women's retention, and the effects of deployment on family life. They will visit 12 installations in the coming year and one team of two members will visit an overseas installation. The committee's objective is to provide the Department of Defense with advice and recommendations on matters and policies relating to the recruitment and retention, treatment, employment, integration, and well-being of women in the Armed Forces. They also provide advice and recommendations on family issues.
The first business meeting for the committee will be Jan. 16-17, 2003, in Crystal City, Va. Installation visits will follow.
