USMC Marine Susan Ward, Moderator of the Fifth Women Veterans Dinner (left), presents an official Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Challenge Coin to the Save A Warrior (SAW) Director of Development Suzette Heller (right), following her presentation. Army Veteran Heller discussed how the free SAW’s C-PST Program can make a direct impact on the lives of the female veterans attending the dinner and many veterans were sincerely interested. This dinner was the fifth in a series of dinners that the DAV Department of Ohio and DAV Chapter #63 recognizes the contributions that female veterans made to the defense of our country. Photograph provided by DAVA Unit Commander Shirley Plahovinsak.
Thirty-one (31) female veterans were recognized at the Fifth Women Veterans Dinner, co-sponsored by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Ohio and DAV Chapter #63 (Clermont County). Marine Corps (USMC) Veteran Susan Ward, served as Moderator for the event.
The Guest Speaker for the event, held at the Golden Corral Restaurant, Eastgate Plaza, was Army Veteran Suzette Heller, the Director of Development for the Save A Warrior Program, located in Hillsboro, Ohio.
“This was the number of female veterans that attended our previous dinners,” said USMC Veteran Ward. “The goal of the evening was to connect with women veterans, enjoy some camaraderie and recognize these women veterans for their military service to our country.”
Veteran Heller explained that the Save A Warrior Program (SAW) was designed to help veterans heal from wounds caused by Complex-Post Traumatic Stress (C-PTS). The Program is an original 72-hour intensive experience as a solution to the veteran suicide epidemic.
Since its inception in 2012, the SAW has had a 99.5% success rate. In addition to the 72-hour C-PTS Program, SAW served 665 alumni through their mentoring in support of the 500-Day Plan.
Speaker Heller, who has a personal experience with the SAW Program, explained the positive effects and impact the Program had on her life. In 2023, thirty-seven (37%) of the SAW enrollees were women veterans.
“ The Save A Warrior creates an environment where our Warriors process their traumas and learn techniques to calm their limbic systems,” explained Heller. “This is accomplished by using Warrior Meditation combined with other forms of biopsychosocial and spiritual education.”
After speaking, Heller was approached by several female veterans who inquired about the C-PST Program. This is a free program open to all veterans regardless of their type of discharge they received when they were discharged. The SAW website is: www.saveawarrior.org
In addition to Army Veteran Heller, Congressman Greg Landsman’s Constituent Services Liaison Melissa Hoin spoke about how the Congressman is assisting veterans in obtaining their earned military benefits.
Representative Landsman, in February, sponsored House of Representatives legislation to help all veterans receive Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) dental care.
The Congressman is one of the 243 co-sponsors of the Major Richard Star Act. Currently, as of April 13, 2025, there are fifty-eight (58) co-sponsors of this bill in the United States Senate.
Seven (7) of the thirty-one (31) participants in the dinner were from the Trauma Recovery Center at Fort Thomas VAMC and five (5) attendees were residents from the Southern Ohio Veterans Home, one of them being 102 years old.
“This was the fifth dinner that Chapter #63 has co-sponsored and from the Save A Warrior Program information that was presented makes a difference in the lives of just one of these female veterans,” stated Chapter #63 Commander James Stanzak, “then the dinner was well worth it.”
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