State Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery), a U.S. Army combat veteran, will host her third annual Women Veterans Celebration at the Capitol on June 10 to honor and recognize the service of women veterans across the commonwealth. The event was established following the passage of Pennycuick’s 2022 legislation designating June 12 as Women Veterans Day in Pennsylvania, ensuring that the contributions of women in the military receive the recognition they deserve. Women veterans from all military branches are encouraged to attend and participate in this special tribute.
Army Veteran Tammy Barber-Kamer attended the Women Veterans Celebration last year and plans to attend again this year.
Barber-Kamer likes “she is celebrating women. It gives me a chance to gather with other women who might have had the same experiences, and we get to share our experiences. She acknowledges the sacrifice we made for our country.”
Pennycuick said, “As a Pennsylvania state senator and a United States Army combat veteran, I am committed to ensuring that my colleagues—and all of Pennsylvania—recognize the vital role women play in our military.”
Barber-Kamer, who was also in the Army Reserve, served in Iraq for a year in 2010 and 2011 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Barber-Kamer, a sergeant major working in logistics, served in three Iraqi cities: Bagdad, Tikrit, and Balad, which they dubbed “mortar-itaville” because of the constant incoming mortar fire.
Iraq was “hot, dusty and very eye-opening,” she said.
Following in the footsteps of her older sister, Connie, who urged her to enlist, Barber-Kamer signed up at 26, when she was married and the mother of two children. Service is a family affair. Her younger brother, Ricky, served, too, and she was surprised to run into him when she exited a latrine in Kuwait. She also ran across a grandniece serving in the Air Force in Iraq.
The Scottdale resident retired after 24 years as a corrections officer. Barber-Kamer and her second husband have 10 grandchildren between them.
Still serving others, Barber-Kamer volunteers as an honor guard member for veterans’ funerals, she said.
“It’s my belief every individual coming out of high school should join the service for a couple of years,” she said. “They would get discipline, integrity, morals.”
As of 2023, 18 percent of those serving in the military were women, according to the Department of Defense’s latest statistics.
The Women Veterans Celebration has continued to grow. Due to the overwhelming number of sign-ups last year, the 2025 Women Veterans display at the Capitol will be digital, allowing an even larger audience to view and celebrate these remarkable women. A virtual display will also be available online and go live on Monday, June 9 at www.senatorpennycuick.com.
Women veterans featured in last year’s display and wish to participate again may simply update their previous submission here. New participants can share their service stories by completing the required submission form. The deadline to submit entries is Friday, May 9.
“I am honored to continue this tradition and to provide a platform where the incredible women who have served our country can be celebrated,” said Pennycuick. “This celebration is an important opportunity to honor the remarkable contributions women have made throughout our nation’s history. I look forward to continuing to recognize their exceptional service and steadfast commitment.”
