Combatant: Kathy Quiñones

Selfless (adjective): Concerned more with the needs and wishes of others than one’s own

Selfless is the perfect word I could describe our next Combatant, retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant, Kathy Quiñones. If I could apply for sainthood at the Vatican and dub her Saint Kathy, I would! But until then… Kathy hails from the great state of New York and served in the U.S. Army for 32 years and 10 months, to be exact! Kathy is an energetic earth angel whose life and military career were founded on being selfless. 

What intrigued me about Kathy’s story is the path that led her to become the first female Commander of her VFW (Veteran of Foreign Wars), Chili Memorial Post 412. A title not held by many women. It was not because they needed a seat filled. It was because of her commitment to soldiers, even after service, her ability to bring people together, her leadership & followership skills, and her unwavering support of others in the community to live better and do better. 

Kathy started at the VFW by invitation while attending a kickball game. Her high energy and fun spirit caught the attention of the former Commander of VFW Post 412. He invited her to a meeting and immediately, she felt so welcomed and loved their fellowship. She started out as a general member. As she became more involved, within the first few months, she moved up in ranks to Junior Vice Commander, then ultimately landed the role as Commander. Based on her leading performance, she is well on her way to becoming a State Commander in New York State!😉

Her military service reflects and exemplifies why she is the Commander of her VFW today. She served in the U.S. Army Reserves as a 42A (Human Resources) and a 92A (Automated Logistical Specialist). While on active duty, she served with the New York State Counterdrug Task Force. She led the Corps Cadet Program that taught drug prevention classes to elementary school kids and worked with coalitions in suburban communities that went as far as writing laws. She sums up her time in service as, "To me it was a positive experience. You learn a lot about building relationships and how to take care of a lot of people. You truly need to be putting others before yourself and you learn a lot of patience!”

VFW Post 412 has 78 members and only 7 of them are women. Women are always treated with respect and are welcomed, but the issue they found is recruitment. It is slow for many VFWs trying to attract younger people, let alone women in general. She shared that she partners with other women in leadership positions for other veteran organizations, such as the American Legion, to help recruit women. It is important to lift up and bring each other to each other's table. 

Some misconceptions of the VFW are that it is all men, they disrespect/reject women, and they are just bars to share the woes of military service. In fact, her VFW does NOT have a bar. Her mission is to break from those stereotypes and share the real fellowship of the VFW. She takes pride in her VFW and shared,

“The VFW is there to serve, not only veterans, but current military people. Young people have that knowledge to be able to spread that word out. Get your [VA] claim going. We have scholarships. The scholarship programs to go to college. If your car breaks down, there’s a scholarship that helps pay for repairs.” 

The legacy Kathy is leaving at her VFW is that, “Women can lead and we can make a difference. We are equal to everyone and our leadership skills are a little bit better at going above and beyond for others.” I asked her why should one join the VFW and she shared, “You should join the VFW because you can continue to serve your community, provide benefits to others, have camaraderie, and save a life,” as suicide is high in the veteran community at an average of 22 deaths a day.

The essence of family and community is a pillar in Kathy’s foundation that brought her to where she is today. Not only is she a part of the VFW, but she is an active DAV (Disabled American Veterans) member. She is a Blue Star Mother, as her son is currently serving in the U.S. Army. Fun fact- they were deployed together! In November 2023, she was inducted into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame and was awarded Female Veteran of the Year by Compeer CORPS in Rochester, NY. Kathy embodies an extraordinary blend of boundless energy and selflessness that illuminates every space she enters.

And to think, her life path never would've led to her amazing impact today if she never played with her brother’s Army equipment at 10 years old…