Women's Memorial ambassador to address Delaware veterans Sept. 25

Jean Chlastawa of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware's ambassador for the Women's Memorial in Washington, D.C., will serve as guest speaker for the Delaware Veterans Coalition meeting at 7 p.m., Monday, Sept. 25, at FOP Lodge 3, 1584 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover.

Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Women's Memorial is the only major national memorial honoring all women who have defended America throughout history. It serves as a repository for the memorabilia of women who have served in or with the U.S. armed forces from the American Revolution to the present time. Its historians and curators conduct seminal research on the history of servicewomen, placing their experience within a historical context.

For more information about the memorial go to www.womensmemorial.org.

Chlastawa, a native of Westfield, Mass., graduated in 1980 from American International College with a bachelor's degree in business administration, and then she enlisted in the U.S. Navy. She retired as a lieutenant commander in 1996. During her Navy service, she earned a master's degree in adult education from the University of Rhode Island, and she served as an education and training specialist for most of her career.

Her tours included Naval Air Station Miramar, San Diego, Calif..; Naval Air Station Cecil Field, Fla.; Recruiting Command Detachment, Jacksonville, Fla.; Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines; Surface Warfare School, Newport, R.I.; Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, D.C.; and Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C.

In 2006, Chlastawa re-entered the federal government as a senior manager of education and training at the Defense Intelligence Agency. She retired in 2016 and moved with her spouse to Rehoboth Beach. A two-time cancer survivor, she continues her passion for education as a volunteer for Delaware's Read Aloud Program, reading to children ages 3 to 4.

The Delaware Veterans Coalition meets every other month on the fourth Monday, beginning in January. Membership is open to all honorably discharged veterans residing in Delaware. For more information, go to www.DelawareVeteransCoalition.com.