Guided by its mission to serve and honor Alabama veterans and its vision of ensuring every veteran has access to the care, support and resources they have earned, the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) continues to strengthen its commitment to veterans across the state by creating a new Women Veterans Coordinator position.

As the population of women veterans continues to grow, so does the importance of providing services tailored to their unique experiences and needs. To lead those efforts, ADVA Commissioner Jeff Newton has named Andrea Searor as the ADVA’s first Women Veterans Coordinator. In this role, she will advocate for and support women veterans across Alabama by connecting them to resources, services and opportunities that enhance their transition from service and overall well-being.

“Andrea’s leadership experience, military background, and passion for serving others make her the ideal person to serve as ADVA’s first Women Veterans Coordinator,” said Commissioner Newton. “She understands the experiences and challenges many women veterans face, and she will be a strong advocate in helping ensure women veterans across Alabama feel connected, supported and empowered to access the benefits and resources they have earned through their service.”

As the Women Veteran Coordinator, Ms. Searor will work directly with veterans, community organizations, and partner agencies to expand outreach, increase engagement, and raise awareness of programs and benefits available to women veterans throughout Alabama.

Ms. Searor brings more than two decades of military leadership and public service experience to the role, serving for 26 years in the United States Air Force, where she held senior leadership positions in strategic planning, international affairs and program management. During her military career, she led teams, managed multi-million-dollar programs and advised senior leaders on policy and organizational effectiveness. She retired as Division Chief of International Affairs at Maxwell Air Force Base’s Air University.

Ms. Searor earned a Master of Arts in Global Security and Intelligence Studies from American Military University and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Louisiana Tech University. In addition to her professional accomplishments, she remains active in her community through volunteer work with youth athletic programs.

“I am honored to serve Alabama’s women veterans in this new role,” Ms. Searor said. “Women who served in uniform deserve strong support systems and access to the resources available to them, and I look forward to helping connect veterans across our state with the services and opportunities they need to thrive.”

Ms. Searor assumes her role as Alabama prepares to recognize Women Veterans Day on June 12, honoring the service, sacrifice and contributions of women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Why this is important:

• 43,220 women veterans live in Alabama.
• Only 18,492 are enrolled in VA healthcare.
• Just 14,215 actually received VA care last year.
• Women make up 13% of homeless veterans, though they represent only 11% of the total veteran population.