#VeteranOfTheDay Air Force Veteran Agnes Helen Gomez Patterson

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is U.S. Air Force Veteran Agnes Helen Gomez Patterson. Agnes served during the Cold War from 1950 to 1952.

Agnes was highly influenced by her mother to enlist in the military following in her two older brother’s footsteps. Upon graduating high school, she choose the Air Force. Agnes went to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas for basic training and went to Cheyenne, Wyoming for training as a teletype operator.

Agnes was stationed in Donaldson AFB in Greenville, South Carolina for a year before being transferred to Larson AFB in Washington State.

After leaving the service, Agnes began to work for the Department of Commerce as a clerk-typist on Grand Coulee Dam in Washington. She later transferred to Norton AFB in California to be near her family. Agnes was glad to be close to her family again and she utilized her G.I. Bill benefits to for college. Agnes learned about military contracting, which allowed her to become the Air Force representative to the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation.

In 1970, Agnes married an Army captain she had met during her time in logistic school in Pasadena, California. Agnes continued her career and worked with the Red Cross in Ohio and as an educational technician for the Navy in Hawaii.

Thank you for your service, Agnes!

Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

Veterans History Project

This #VeteranOfTheDay profile was created with interviews submitted to the Veterans History Project. The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war Veterans so that future generations may hear directly from Veterans and better understand the realities of war. Find out more at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.

Graphic By Kierra Willis: Kierra Willis is a Graphic Communication Major at the University of Maryland University College. She currently has an AAS in Graphic Design and Visual Communications.