10 years in the making, Monument to Women Veterans is a step closer to reality

Kamal Morgan, Pensacola News Journal
·3 min read
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It's been a marathon, not a sprint, but the finish line for the Monument to Women Veterans is starting to come into focus.

For more than a decade, Michelle Caldwell has been working to establish a lasting monument and museum to all the women who have served.

"We have been pursuing a monument to actually recognize the 25% of the military which is now women and the 2.8 million women veterans who have honorably served this country," Caldwell said.

Thanks to a recent donation, Caldwell and her organization are taking the first steps in creating a small-scale representation of the planned monument and preparing their land at the old Amtrak station for the large-scale monument.

An artist's rendering shows the proposed monument to women veterans. The finished monument will feature a flame rising more than 30 feet into the air and include a stainless-steel elliptical band of flowing water.
An artist's rendering shows the proposed monument to women veterans. The finished monument will feature a flame rising more than 30 feet into the air and include a stainless-steel elliptical band of flowing water.

The grand opening: Women's veteran museum to open Wednesday as first phase of veteran training campus plan

Monument to Women Veterans: After decade of work, Monument to Women Veterans to break ground on Pensacola museum

On Aug. 4, representatives of Everdean Construction presented the first check to Elizabeth MacQueen, the artist who will be creating the monument. Everdean used a percentage of its overall sales to raise $75,000 in donations for the project.

According to Monument to Women Veterans' website, the finished monument will feature a flame rising more than 30 feet into the air and include a stainless-steel elliptical band of flowing water.

The city of Pensacola leased the former Amtrak train station on East Heinberg Street to establish a museum and national training center, and the museum held its grand opening in November 2021.

"(We) have worked with the city of Pensacola and we have the museum that's there now," Caldwell told the News Journal. "And that building is also a national visitor center for returning veterans. If you're getting out of the military, or any place in the world, you can come directly to Pensacola, Florida, whether you're male or female, and we will connect you to your benefits."

Michelle Caldwell, founder of the Monument to Women Veterans, holds a rendering of the monument. The finished monument will feature a flame rising more than 30 feet into the air and include a stainless-steel elliptical band of flowing water.
Michelle Caldwell, founder of the Monument to Women Veterans, holds a rendering of the monument. The finished monument will feature a flame rising more than 30 feet into the air and include a stainless-steel elliptical band of flowing water.

Caldwell has helped create a pipeline for veterans leaving the military to go directly into companies such Everdean Construction.

Representative of the construction firm said they were proud to support the project.

"For us to be a part of that and recognize those women that have served our country is really fantastic," Everdean Construction Commercial Territory Manager Alan Piver said. "We were extremely honored to be a part of all of that and let these women that have served know that we appreciate their service."

The Monument to Women Veterans has been working to raise funds for the project while also implementing other programs to help returning veterans. It has a programming training and certification program in partnership with schools such as the University of West Florida, Pensacola State College, George Stone Technical College and Locklin Technical College.

The organization also has a free drone program that teaches veterans how to fly, repair and program drones. When they complete the drone program, veterans receive a license from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The museum facility also includes the Center for Strategic Military Excellence, which provides a state-of-the-art job training center for veterans. It helps men and women pursue careers in construction, hospitality management and healthcare. Assistance with getting Veterans Affairs benefits, vocational rehabilitation for veterans with disabilities or post-traumatic stress disorder and other aid is provided.

Michelle Caldwell, founder of the Monument to Women Veterans, holds a rendering of the monument. The finished monument will feature a flame rising more than 30 feet into the air and include a stainless-steel elliptical band of flowing water.
Michelle Caldwell, founder of the Monument to Women Veterans, holds a rendering of the monument. The finished monument will feature a flame rising more than 30 feet into the air and include a stainless-steel elliptical band of flowing water.

For Caldwell, the Monument to Women Veterans is not just about a statue, but about the lives that will change from having more awareness and resources available for returning veterans. It will create economic development for the city while teaching veterans a trade to live and take care of themselves and their families, she said.

"It is time for us to take care of our veterans and to utilize our location, with our nine military bases, to recruit returning veterans to come to our area to live, work and play," Caldwell said. "And for us to develop this and take it across the country ... and show this is how you do it — this is how we put veterans to work in their own areas."

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola's Monument to Women Veterans provides first check to artist