Veterans Day ceremony honors women in the military

Galloway, N.J. — Stockton University’s annual Veterans Day Recognition Ceremony on Nov. 10 honored the service and sacrifice of women in the military, featuring active-duty service members and veterans who now advocate for others.

Coast Guard Lt. Victoria Castleberry, commanding officer of the cutter Angela McShan, and Lucy Del Gaudio, an Army veteran and the first Women Veterans Coordinator for the New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs, reflected on the lessons they have learned and the challenges of being a woman in the military.

“A strong military is one that draws on the full talent, character and commitment of the nation it serves,” Castleberry said. “We stand on the shoulders of women who volunteered when few opportunities were available.”

Castleberry, who serves at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, said despite coming from a long line of family members in the military dating to the Revolutionary War, she believes she is the first woman to have become a service member.

“That point of information has made me appreciate the legacy of women who served as trailblazers and women whose service was overlooked, minimized or excluded from the official records,” she said.

Castleberry said she is proud to be a 2018 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy, which was the first federal service academy to admit women in 1976. But she added that on her first cutter none of the enlisted personnel were women and only six members of the 75-person crew were female.

“Now, I have the privilege of serving as a commanding officer of a cutter named after a female Coast Guard hero. I have a female executive officer and I report to a female district flag officer,” she said. “As an ensign, I did not expect to see that combination of leadership around me.”

And while things have changed since she joined the Coast Guard, Castleberry reiterated how important it is for women to continue to serve.

“The opportunities we have today exist because of those who came before us, and the legacy we leave behind is defined by what we do with those opportunities,” she said.

Advocating for women veterans is the driving force behind Del Gaudio’s job with the New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs. She spent eight years in the Army, including during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and while she is proud of her service, it was not without struggles.

“My own military experience included trauma that changed the course of my life. Like many women of my generation, I carry this long after leaving the military,” she said. “We can love our country, be proud of our service and still recognize that changes are needed to better protect and support those who serve. Both things can be true.”

Her advocacy work includes testifying before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee in 2020 about military sexual trauma and helping to designate June 12 as Women’s Veterans Appreciation Day in New Jersey in 2019.

“That recognition was never simply about having another day on the calendar, but it was creating an opportunity to acknowledge women’s military service,” she said. “We wore the uniform. We took the oath. We served our country, and we earned the title, veteran. And we should never have to explain or defend it.”

Del Gaudio ended her remarks by reflecting how excited she was to address Stockton students because “we are never too old to learn, grow and take on new challenges.” She said she is close to finishing her bachelor’s degree in public policy.

“To the student veterans here today, I want to encourage you to keep moving forward. Your military service is an important part of your life, but it does not have to define everything you will become,” she said. “And to the women, please never minimize your service or accomplishments. You belong here. Your experience matters. Your education matters. Your voice matters.”

The ceremony is part of Veterans Week 2026 organized by Stockton’s Veterans and Military-Connected Student Success office and the Military Affiliated Students of Stockton club.

Other events this week include:

• Thursday, Nov. 12 — Meals Ready-to-Eat (MRE) Tasting: Experience a taste of military life by sampling the packaged meals commonly used by service members in the field. The event will take place from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at Independence Plaza and provide an opportunity to interact with Stockton's military-affiliated students. In case of inclement weather, the event will move to the G-Wing Lower Gallery Atrium.
• Saturday, Nov. 14 — Bay Atlantic Symphony Veterans Day Concert: The week concludes with a special musical tribute honoring those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces at 7:30 p.m. in Stockton's Performing Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public, but advance tickets are required and available through the Stockton Performing Arts Center website.

For more information about Veterans Week, contact the Office of Veteran & Military-Connected Student Success at VMCSS@stockton.edu.

— Story by Mark Melhorn, photos by Susan Allen

From left, Stockton University President Joe Bertolino; Derek Massey, a Stockton sophomore from Mays Landing who served in the Air Force and is the president of Military Affiliate Students of Stockton; Martha Wygmans, Stockton vice president for Student Affairs; Ashley Jones, veteran and military-connected student success coordinator; Michael Barany, Army veteran and director for veteran and military-connected student success; Coast Guard Lt. Victoria Castleberry; Lucy Del Gaudio, an Army veteran and the first Women Veterans Coordinator for the New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs; and Terricita Sass, executive vice president and chief of staff at Stockton.