5 June 2021 was a very special day for our friend and fellow Rotarian Dora Vasquez-Hellner as she became Commander Army -Post 8955 - Veterans of Foreign Wars. Dora is a retired Army First Sergeant who served for over 23 years in the Army. While assigned to B Company, 29th Military Intelligence Battalion, she earned her VFW eligibility by serving in Panama during Operation Just Cause. She was the NCIOC of screening operations that handled over 2,000 Panamanian Defense Force soldiers. Her last unit of assignment was First Sergeant, Military Intelligence Company, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Her military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and Airborne Wings. She is a graduate of Excelsior College with a degree in Liberal Arts and a Master of Arts in Hispanic Studies from the University of Rhode Island.
Dora supports Veterans Equine Therapeutic Services at Horses Healing Humans - Therapeutic Horsemanship in Coastal Connecticut and was instrumental with coordinating the first Rhode Island Rally for Women Warriors at the Providence VA Medical Center. A day does not pass without this veteran reaching out to her fellow veterans, regardless of age or need. Her ongoing mission with elimination of '22 a day' - 22 veterans die very day from suicide. She maintains regular communications with key legislative representatives both at the local and national level to advocate for our veterans. And, she is a regular contributor to The Westerly Sun on Veterans Affairs.
Note: all of the information above was borrowed from the VFW website.
