In 1967, nearly 50 years ago, U.S Army Health Clinic - Schofield Barracks (USAHC-SB) employee, Cheryl Keopuhiwa, raised her right hand and was sworn into the Woman's Army Corps.
Just out of High School, Keopuhiwa made the decision to embark upon a journey that very few women in the world had endeavored, a job in the military.
In the United States, March is commonly known as Women's History month.
On March 13, the USAHC-SB featured Keopuhiwa as the guest speaker during a Women's History Month luncheon.
At first, Keopuhiwa was reluctant to share her story.
She expressed that she didn't see anything remarkable or noteworthy of her few years served in the Women's Army Corps.
After Keopuhiwa told her story to a room full of Active Duty Soldiers and civilians, she commented on how rewarding it was for her to speak to us.
Keopuhiwa stated "I didn't think anything significant of my time served in the Women's Army Corps. When I was asked to speak, I was a little shocked. I began searching the internet for photos and was surprised to see photos of myself from so long ago." She also said "I didn't realize until today, that I did help pave the way for Women to serve freely in the Army."
Keopuhiwa told her story for almost 45 minutes to a captivated room.
She told stories of being the commander's driver at Fort McClellan, Alabama, and even shared a general's note. As she briefed, a picture slideshow behind her displayed black and white photos of her time served in the Army.
The Commander of the Clinic, Col. Pete Eberhardt awarded Keopuhiwa with a certificate of appreciation for sharing her story.
He said "it is remarkable to hear your stories and to see that you chose to continue serving the military as a Department of the Army Civilian".
Keopuhiwa works as the Chief of Managed Care at the U.S. Army Schofield Barracks Health Clinic, where she helps align beneficiaries with primary care providers and supports all TRICARE needs.
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