Kucharczyk to speak on Women's Military Memorial at Sumter County Genealogical Meeting on March 18

STAFF REPORT

Retired Lt. Col. Barbara Kucharczyk, a 22-year veteran of the United States Air Force, will speak at the Sumter County Genealogical Meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, March 18, at Swan Lake Presbyterian Church, 912 Haynsworth St. Her topic will be the Women's Military Memorial in Washington, D.C., which stands at the ceremonial entrance to Arlington National Cemetery.

Kucharczyk serves as one of four appointed South Carolina Ambassadors to the Memorial. The purpose of the ambassador is outreach and spreading the word about the MWM, educating and informing the public about the service and sacrifice of the nation's military women, and encouraging eligible service women, past and present, to take their rightful place in history by registering with the Military Women's Memorial.

The MWM was founded by Brig. Gen. Wilma Vaught, USAF, and opened in 1997. It is the only historical repository documenting women's service in all six branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Merchant Marine. Women who served overseas during conflicts in service such as the American Red Cross, USO, YWCA, Salvation Army are also eligible to register their service. Featuring an education center, interactive exhibits and a world class collection of Military Women's stories, the memorial provides an opportunity for women to take their rightful place in the history of women's service to our nation.

The Memorial Register, an interactive database, includes more than 300,000 military women (only about 10% of the women who have served in or with the Armed Forces since the American Revolution) who have shared their service information, photographs and memorable experiences. Woman who served, no matter how long, are encouraged to register for free at http://womensmemorial.org. Deceased women may be registered by friends, family or a Memorial member.

Kucharczyk served 21 1/2 years as an aircraft maintenance officer. Her assignments included Kadena Air Base, Okinawa; Ramstein Air Base, Germany; the F-16 aircraft production facility in Fort Worth, Texas; Kunsan Air Base, South Korea; Shaw Air Force Base, Sumter; Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama; and Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas.

Her career highlights include serving on the USAFE IG Team; twice a squadron commander; and testifying before Congress about women's ability to serve in a greater percentage of combat coded career fields.

Before her military career she served as a Special Education Aide at Burkburnett, High School, Burkburnett, Texas.

The Sumter County Genealogical Society meets monthly from September through May. Visitors are welcome to attend, and admission is free to the public. Interested persons can join the society. Membership includes four newsletters during the year and free use of the Sumter County Genealogical Society Research Center. Annual dues are $30 for an individual membership and $35 for a family. Readers can call the society's Research Center for additional information at (803) 774-3901.