(SILVER CITY, NM)- Women military veterans and National Guard/Reserve, transitioning active-duty service members are invited to attend a free Military/Veteran Women's Expo 2017 in Silver City on July 28 from 8 am-4 pm at the Western New Mexico University McDonald Student Memorial Building, located at 1000 West College Ave.

The Expo is presented by the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services (NMDVS) Women Veterans Program, the NMDVS Rural Veterans Coordination Program, and the New Mexico Veterans Business Outreach Center - and is limited to the first forty pre-registered women. The Expo designed for military women in Silver City and surrounding communities in the southwestern part of the state. But all women veterans are invited to attend.

This smaller size ensures a more intimate and personalized setting for women veterans to learn and ask questions about VA and state women's health resources, VA and state benefits for all veterans, additional benefits/resources for women veterans, and federal/state programs specifically for veterans who want to start or expand a business.

Free morning coffee/pastries and lunch will also be provided for all attendees.

As an added bonus, Expo attendees can take advantage of free basic beauty salon and other services offered such as manicures, haircuts/styling, massages, acupuncture, therapeutic essential oils, and more. A nutrition & fitness advisor will also be on site to provide healthy lifestyle information.

Pre-registration for the Military/Veteran Women Expo 2017 is required and can be done online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-veteran-womens-expo-2017-silver-city-nm-tickets-35022018801.

This Military/Veteran Women's Expo is part of a series of similar expos presented by the NMDVS in other communities throughout the state because, according to NMDVS Women Veterans Program Coordinator Melanie Suazo, many women veterans are not taking advantage of their VA or state veterans' benefits and resources.

"I've met women who are either not aware of benefits available to them as military veterans—or in worse-case scenarios, believe that benefits are only for male veterans," said Ms. Suazo, who is a retired New Mexico Army National Guard Sergeant-Major. "Whether you are a man or a woman—all veterans have earned these benefits through their military service for our country. This expo will help women veterans learn more about what they're entitled to as women veterans."

According to VA data, women are the fastest-growing segment in the military and veteran population. There are 2,051,484 women veterans in America—about 9.5% of the total veteran population of 21.6 million.

Here in New Mexico, VA data shows there are 17,170 women veterans —also about 9.5% of the state's veteran population of 168,709. As recently as twenty years ago, women made up less than 5% of both veteran populations.

For more information, contact NMDVS Women Veterans Program Coordinator Melanie Suazo at melanieA.suazo@state.nm.us or (505) 827-6370.

Special Hotel Room Rate for Conference Attendees
The Palace Hotel is offering a 15% discount off normal room rates for registered Expo attendees. Please call Tom or Nancy at (575) 388-1811 and mention the "Women Veterans Expo for this discount.

The hotel is located at 106 W. Broadway in downtown Silver City and is close to WNMU.