Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.
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The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is commendably replacing its motto with a gender-neutral one reflecting a modern reality: women serve in the military, too, not just men.
In an age where the term "woke" too often derisively greets such changes, consider an influential advocate for the update. It's the well-regarded Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) service organization.
IAVA, as the name suggests, represents military men and women from the nation's most recent conflicts. The organization has been a powerhouse at the U.S. Capitol, where it played a leading role in passing legislation to aid veterans exposed to burn pits.
The wording change has long been an IAVA priority. It began its update-the-motto campaign in 2017 in response to members' concerns. Not surprisingly, the organization's own leadership reflects the modern era's more diverse fighting forces. Its CEO is Allison Jaslow, a former U.S. Army captain who has long sounded the alarm about women and LGBTQ+ veterans feeling "invisible."
"Calling for a change to the VA's motto was ... always more than about words. It was about the need for culture change at the VA and setting the right tone from the top. We must be relentless until the culture at the VA makes every veteran, and their loved ones, feel like they're supported fully," Jaslow said in a March 16 statement after the VA announced the change.
The VA's previous motto was "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan." It's an excerpt from President Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address. Visitors to the agency's headquarters and its hospital network may have seen plaques with these words displayed.
