Public Law 117-98 passed March 14, 2022
Jennifer Moreno Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Jennifer Moreno
As of January 2021, of 1255 health care facilities of the Department of Veteran Affairs, 2 are named for women veterans.
From 2002-2006 Jennifer Madai Moreno was an active member of the San Diego High School Junior Reserve Officer Traning Corps (JROTC), this is a Department of the Army Honor Unit with Distinction, the highest rating by the Army. She was chosen to be a member of the San Diego Unified School District Brigade Staff. As a senior she became the top junior marksman in California through the Civilian Marksmanship Program.
Moreno went to the University of San Francisco on a JROTC scholarship for Nursing. She was chosen for Leadership Development Training and she achieved the highest level of physical fitness in her ROTC unit.
She graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing in 2010 and received her commission in the United States Army as a Second Lieutenant Nurse Corps Officer.
Moreno served as a Gold Bar Recruiter from July 2010 to September 2010.
Completed the Basic Airborne Course in Fort Benning, Georgia and Army Medical Department Officer Basic Course in Ft. Sam Houston, Texas.
Assigned to Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis McCord, Washington January 2011, served as a Clinical Staff nurse on medical-surgical unit. Certification as a Medical Surgical Registered Nurse in February 2011.
Volunteered with US Army Special operations Command in 2011. Selected into the SOC Cultural Support Team program. Deployed to Afghanistan June 2013 with the Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment.
October 6, 2013 Moreno was with a US Army Ranger unit night mission in the Zhari district in Kandahar province to capture a high-value target when 4 explosive devices were triggered.
The last moments of Moreno’s life she heard a call from a wounded soldier and made her way to help which triggered the fifth explosion that ended her life.
Moreno was the first Nurse CST member to die in action. Part of her legacy is the number of young women from medical fields seeking out voluntary assignments to joint the CST program.
She was the first combat casualty to be buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego since post 9/11. Full military honors.
Kathleen Mae Bruyere
Graduated college in 1966
Accepted into US Navy Officer Candidate School and assigned as an on-campus Navy recruiting officer in California.
Bruyere was the first woman to serve as flag secretary to an admiral, staff of Rear Admiral Allen Hill in 1975.
January 1976, was chosen as 1 of 12 Women of the Year on the cover of Time Magazine.
1977, joined 5 other women officers who sued the United States Secretary of the Navy and the United States Secretary of Defense over restrictions that prevent women from serving on combat aircraft and ships. This led to the 1948 Women’s Armed Services Integration Act being struck down as unconstitutional, overturning a ban on women serving at sea.
1987, as Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations for women’s policy, Bruyere helped conduct a status of Navy women, including opportunities and complaints of sexism. the study led to 9000 sea-duty and command jobs opening up for women on 24 combatant ships.
1991, assigned as Commanding Officer for the Navy Recruit Training Command in Orlando, Florida. At the time this was the only navy boot camp that included women. Bruyere oversaw 30,000 enlistees, one third women.
1994, retired from the Navy as a Captain after 28 years of service.
From 2012 to September 2020 she acted as an active volunteer at Miramar National Cemetery, devoted almost 4,300 hours helping visits locate their loved ones graves and providing information on veteran burial benefits.
She died in September 2020 and buried at Miramar National Cemetery, with full military honors.
**May 2021,