On this Veterans Day it’s only appropriate I give a shout out to the girls of Served Like a Girl. I want to thank each and every one of them and each and every Veteran for their service to this country.

Director Lysa Heslov’s documentary, “Served Like a Girl, provides a candid look at several American women as they transition from active duty to civilian life after serving tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our wounded U.S. female service personnel often return to a stark reality, one that is rarely discussed or considered. Struggling with PTSD, homelessness, broken families, serious illness, physical injuries, and the aftermath of military sexual abuse, these amazing women find ways to adapt and overcome debilitating challenges through participation in the “Ms. Veteran America” competition. Guided by event founder and veteran, Jas Boothe, the women leverage their experiences gained through competition to recover the parts of themselves and their personal identities they had lost on the battlefield. Called “Engaging, Honest and Powerful,” this film is a beautiful tapestry interlaced with poignant moments, social commentary, and humor.

Nichole Alred is one of the woman Veterans in the film. I am proud to say that we’ve been Facebook friends for over 10 years, our love for Chesapeakes brought us together. We haven’t met in person yet but hopefully in the next year that will change. I’ve enjoyed following along with the long hard process it was for her and the other girls to be noticed and to be picked as the girls in the film. I can’t wait to watch this documentary these gals deserve to have their stories heard and seen.

Served Like a Girl is a film that allows us to take an intimate look inside the lives of 5 women veterans. The women share stories of what it is like being a woman in a war zone, being sexually assaulted, and overcoming odds, all the while having you laugh out loud. Lysa Heslov (the director) does an beautiful job at allowing the veterans to tell their stories without putting any kind of twist on it. It’s a roller coaster of emotions. *Nichole

Served Like a Girl – The Girls, read their bio’s here.

Follow on     Facebook     Instagram    Twitter      #servedlikeagirl

Served Like A Girl DVD – get it on Amazon. I got mine today!

Served Like a Girl soundtrack – get it here.

They ALL donated songs for us!! Christina Aguilara, Pink, Pat Benetar and Lynda Perry wrote “Dancing Through the Wreckage” just for the film. *Nichole

Speaking of Final Salute Inc. meet the founder:

Jas is a Chicago Native, disabled veteran, cancer survivor, and international speaker who served 17 years in the Army. She founded Final Salute in 2010 and the Ms Veteran America competition in 2012, which have collectively raised over $2 million and assisted over 3600 women veterans and children in over 30 states and territories. In honor of her leadership and positive impact on the community, Boothe has been recognized by Oprah Winfrey, Toyota, People Magazine, CNN Heroes, and The Department of Defense.

Read an article written by Jas here, after reading this you will understand why this film was created.

Follow on Facebook   Twitter    #finalsalute

I salute you Veterans!