Women veterans in the U.S. Virgin Islands can now obtain specially designed license plates recognizing their military service, following the launch of a new initiative by the V.I. Office of Veterans Affairs. The plates are available through the agency's offices on St. Croix and in the St. Thomas/St. John District, with the first two issued to women who broke barriers in military and veterans' leadership in the territory.
The new license plates feature a silhouette of a female service member against a colorful background, accompanied by the American and Virgin Islands flags and the words "We Served With Honor." The design is intended to provide visible recognition of the contributions women have made through their service in the United States Armed Forces.
The first plates were presented to Commander Hillis Benjamin and retired Brigadier General Deborah Howell. Benjamin, who became the first female commander of American Legion District No. 10 in the Virgin Islands, received plate number 1001 in the St. Thomas/St. John District. Howell, the first woman to serve as Adjutant General of the Virgin Islands National Guard, received plate number 2001 on St. Croix.
The Office of Veterans Affairs said eligible women veterans must have either a DD Form 214, which documents release or discharge from active military service, or an NGB Form 22, which documents separation from the National Guard, already on file with the agency. Applicants who have not previously submitted either document must bring one when requesting a plate.
Applicants must also present the vehicle registration for the vehicle on which the new plate will be displayed. Once the Office of Veterans Affairs verifies eligibility, the plate will be issued at no charge. However, the agency cautioned that applicants may still incur costs associated with the vehicle registration process through the Virgin Islands Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
“Women Veterans have served our nation with honor, and their service deserves to be recognized throughout our community,” said Patrick D. Farrell, Director of the Virgin Islands Office of Veterans Affairs. “These plates give that recognition a visible place on our roads. We are proud to make them available and encourage eligible women Veterans to visit our office to obtain theirs.”
The new plates expand the territory's existing veterans' license plate program by introducing a design specifically recognizing women who served. V.I. Consortium previously reported on the availability of the territory's general veterans' license plates, which likewise required verification of military service and carried no charge for the plates themselves, although vehicle registration costs remained the responsibility of the applicant.
According to the Office of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Virgin Islands is believed to be the first American territory to introduce a veterans' license plate designed specifically to honor women veterans. The agency qualified that distinction as being to the best of its knowledge.
Women veterans interested in obtaining the new plates or seeking additional information may contact the Office of Veterans Affairs in the St. Thomas/St. John District at (340) 774-8387 or on St. Croix at (340) 773-8387.
