Okaloosa County to unveil two new Women Veterans Monuments at Veterans Day ceremony
Okaloosa County, Florida – This Veterans Day, Okaloosa County will celebrate military veterans with a special event that focuses on the bravery and sacrifice of women who serve. At Veterans Park’s Women Veterans Monuments, the county will hold a ceremony to honor veterans and reveal two new life-size statues. The event will be held in the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center on Okaloosa Island on November 11, 2025, at 1 p.m.
Local officials and veterans will speak at the ceremony, and then the memorials honoring two amazing women will be officially unveiled. One statue will show U.S. Marine Sergeant Nicole L. Gee from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and the other will show an Iroquois Warrior Woman from the War of 1812. Both figures embody bravery and service across different eras of American history.
Sgt. Gee was a maintenance worker who helped Afghan women and children go to safety during the evacuation of Kabul in 2021. On August 27, 2021, she and 17 other service members were killed in a suicide bombing. Her statue will always be a symbol of dedication and sacrifice. The second statue will honor Iroquois women who fought in the War of 1812. In military documents, these women were officially called “cooks,” although many of them fought alongside their husbands out of necessity and bravery. There are no pictures or videos of their service, therefore the sculpture shows what they all did together.
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Carolyn Ketchel, the Vice Chairman of Okaloosa County, highlighted how important it is to commemorate all veterans and celebrate the accomplishments women have made to the military.
“We love our veterans in Okaloosa County and we want to make sure they feel our appreciation with this event,” Ketchel said. “We are also very proud to unveil two magnificent statues of women veterans that will be added to the Women Veterans Park.”
District 5 Commissioner Drew Palmer, a U.S. Air Force veteran, echoed those sentiments.
“Recognizing the sacrifices made by our veterans and their families is not only meaningful, it’s essential,” said Palmer. “This event is a powerful tribute that reflects Okaloosa County’s deep appreciation for their service and the enduring value they bring to our community.”
The two new sculptures will join the other statues that were inaugurated earlier this year. This will raise the total number of women veteran monuments in the park to twelve. Also, new benches will be put up during Veterans Week to recognize local groups like the Center for Lifelong Learning, the Republican Women of Okaloosa Federated, and the Women Veterans Group Air Force Enlisted Village.
Okaloosa County is building on its tradition of respect and remembering through this event, making sure that every generation knows how important the people who served were.
