Recognizing female veterans on National Vet Girls Rise Day

(NEWS10) — February 19 is a day to recognize the strong women veterans who have served our country; It’s National Vet Girls Rise day!

The day honors the almost two million women who have put their lives on the line to protect Americans.

The history behind women in the military dates back to the Revolutionary War, when women would follow their husbands to war to serve in camps as laundresses, cooks, and nurses. While they were helping in the war, they were not allowed to be official members of the military.

During the Civil War, the United States recruited women to serve as nurses without military status.

The women were so helpful during that time period that War Department requested the initiation of an Army Nurse Corps in which women could serve.

Women were only allowed to serve as civilians to help out the military in nursing roles until the last two years of World War I.

During those last two years, women were officially allowed to join the military in roles other than nursing.

Soon after, 33,000 women served as nurses and support staff officially in the military and more than 400 nurses died in the line of duty, according to data gathered by history.org.

Now women can choose to be soldiers in any capacity and February 19th has become a national day to thank them for their sacrifices.