November 20, 2014 - During her deployment to Iraq, former Army translator Kayla Williams said she found strength in herself to be an exemplary soldier to represent all women in the military.Williams, a former sergeant and Arabic linguist for a military intelligence company of the 101st Airborne Division, was a guest speaker Thursday at the fifth annual Forward March Conference. She reflected on her time in the military, including navigating challenges because of her gender.
The conference included panel discussions to help churches and faith-based organizations learn how they can help veterans and military families. Topics included domestic violence, suicide prevention, substance abuse and the moral challenges of war.
This year, the conference at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church offered community workshops. One focused on identifying local resources for military families and veterans, with the goal of creating a "toolkit" to connect professionals with employment, financial, peer support, housing, transportation and other types of services. Another workshop is aimed at increasing the involvement of faith-based organizations in military and veterans health. The conference continues today.
Williams, a project associate at Rand Corp. and an author, spoke to a packed crowd Thursday afternoon. She focused on her experience in the Army, including the invasion of Iraq in 2003. read more>>>
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