Betty Christiansen, publisher and owner of the Coulee Region Women Magazine in La Crosse, Wis., served as the featured guest speaker for the 2024 Fort McCoy Women’s History Month observance March 19 at Fort McCoy.

The observance was held at McCoy’s Community Center where dozens of Fort McCoy community members attended the event that was organized by the Fort McCoy Equal Opportunity Office.

Each year, the Department of Defense honors the women who have shaped U.S. history, and through their contributions paved the way forward for future female pioneers, according to the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI), which is headquartered at Patrick Space Force Base, Fla.

In 1987, Congress passed Public Law 100-9 authorizing the president to proclaim the month of March as Women’s History Month each year, DEOMI officials said. Before this, the event was known as “Women’s History Week,” which originated in 1981.

The 2024 theme for Women’s History Month is “Women Who Have Made Great Achievements,” according to DEOMI. It celebrates the women who have left an impact on the United States through their sacrifices, public service, and inspirational work.

According to her biographical information at the magazine’s website at https://www.crwmagazine.com, Christiansen “is a longtime writer and editor who has lived and worked in the Twin Cities, New York, and La Crosse, where she was editor of the magazine for 10 years before taking the helm as publisher. She loves to knit and dreams of a life structured around writing and travel.”

And during her presentation, Christiansen discussed how in the magazine they like to tell the stories of women. She described how all women have a story to tell, and in the magazine they try to express many of those special stories.

“I believe these stories provide inspiration to other women, and even hope to other women,” Christiansen said. “We can read stories about a woman doing something, achieving something, overcoming something. … You entered her life for just a moment. You put yourself in her shoes. So, there’s really deep and valuable connection being made. And at the same time, you might read that story and say, ‘If she did that, maybe I could do something too.’

“One thing I always tried to emphasize back when I was editor … to the readers was that you, as a woman, no matter what you’re doing, no matter what your role, no matter what your occupation, you are an important part of this community,” Christiansen said. “You, individually, have something to offer. You are important.”

Christiansen also discussed her staff on the magazine and the amount of work that goes into making the publication that is completed every two months. It was obvious the magazine is a labor of love for Christiansen as she described magazine covers and each story behind them, the people she worked with, and even delivering magazine copies on print day to “pitch in” on the 40-mile radius delivery effort.

In a sense, she followed what the magazine’s website states when it says the magazine is “made possible by a fabulous team of collaborative women: freelance writers, photographers, designers and distributors.”

The overall observance took approximately an hour and was culminated with Deputy Garrison Commander Lt. Col. Michael Corkum and Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Calarco, garrison command sergeant major, presenting Christiansen with a special appreciation plaque for her presentation and attendance.

“Thank you for those inspiring words and that great presentation,” Corkum said. “We really appreciate your support for this event.”

Events like Fort McCoy’s observance were held all across the Department of Defense in March. DEOMI officials stated that it’s always important to remember the achievements of women at any time.

“Women have played a crucial role in moving progress forward throughout American history,” DEOMI officials said. “The contributions of women … serve as an inspiration for current and future generations. The countless achievements women have made, and the barriers they have broken, deserves to be commemorated during Women’s History Month and should be honored all year.”

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Also try downloading the Digital Garrison app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base. Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.” See more at https://home.army.mil/imcom.