YOUNGSTOWN — Jasmine Handy is proud to serve her country, but for her, the concept of service also has a circularity to it.

“I’m grateful to be at the reserve base and still be home to serve my community,” Handy, 45, of Youngstown, said.

Handy is an eight-year U.S. Air Force reservist who’s part of the 910th Airlift Wing at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna. Part of her pride also comes from standing on the wings of women who fought for the nation before her — the same women who she feels paved the way for her, along with the benefits she receives and her community outreach, Handy said.

For her service, Handy was among the veterans of all military branches who were recognized and honored during a three-hour Saluting our Heroes Veterans Appreciation lunch Saturday at Glenwood Grounds Cafe, a coffee shop at 2906 Glenwood Ave. on the South Side.

In a real sense, the gathering was a prelude to Veterans Day on Nov. 11, but took place two months early to show gratitude to those who served the nation, yet not compete with the national holiday, Jon Howell, an event organizer, said.

Howell added that he and others contacted many area nursing homes to invite veterans living at those facilities to attend and received “tons of positive feedback.” Also, more than 80 volunteers assisted in a variety of ways, he said.

Handy joined the military at age 36, though she desired to enlist when she was younger, but had a negative experience with a recruiter, she said. Nevertheless, Handy was moved by accounts of how her brother had been impacted by his service, something that motivated her to follow suit, the reservist said. Handy added that one of her long-term goals is to be a chaplain and work with fellow veterans.

Others who served and were thankful to be honored at the outdoor event included John Vanverth of Sharon, Pa., who served two years in the Army from 1966 to 1968. Specifically, the Purple Heart recipient was in the 9th Infantry Division during the Vietnam War.

“This is great. I hope it becomes an annual event,” Vanverth said.

Those who spoke at the luncheon included Jennifer Baun, a U.S. Navy veteran and 2015 Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame inductee, who cited several reasons that many women and young people are reluctant to self-identify as veterans when transitioning to civilian life and after.

Key among them is that society often draws a direct link between veteran status and combat experience. As a result, many young military personnel may be hesitant to claim the title if they served during peacetime or in noncombat capacities, Baun noted, adding that peer influence can feed this perception.

Consequently, some may refuse to take advantage of veterans’ benefits to which they’re entitled, or join organizations because they feel their service didn’t count in a traditional sense, Baun said.

In addition, popular culture and some media portrayals reinforce stereotypes of veterans via proffering the false view that they are older men and women with visible signs of service, such as uniforms, medals or disabilities, she said.

“Not all veterans wear it for everyone to see,” Baun added. “Recently separated service members may not see themselves reflected in these narratives and hesitate to adopt the label.”

Also, many women have dealt with and had to overcome certain cultural and institutional barriers, she said.

Women made their first large-scale entry into the military during World War I when the Navy allowed them to serve in official capacities. As a result, an estimated 35,000 women served at home and overseas primarily in support roles, including as nurses, clerical workers and telephone operators — the latter of which became fondly known as the “Hello girls,” she said.

By World War II, the number of women in the Armed Forces increased tenfold to about 350,000, and their duties included flying planes, repairing vehicles, running communications and assuming vital logistic roles. Many also flew planes as Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs), Baun noted.

Furthering their military roles was the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act that President Harry S. Truman signed June 12, 1948, which gave women the right to serve in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force as permanent, regular members, though it prohibited them from serving in full combat roles. That changed a few decades later, though.

“Their numbers remained relatively small until the draft ended and the All-Volunteer Force was established in 1973. This change opened the door for more women to join and serve in increasingly diverse roles,” Baun said, noting that during the Gulf War in 1991, about 40,000 women deployed to the Middle East, where they often served in combat zones as well as in support roles.

In many cases, a complex web of personal experiences, definitions, cultural narratives and social pressures influence whether women and young people identify as veterans. Overcoming these limiting and usually false narratives requires moving beyond stereotypes and adopting a broader understanding and acceptance of the variety of roles that serving the country entails, she said.

“Meet these individuals where they are,” Baun advised. “The more inclusive and supportive society is toward all who have served, the more likely veterans are to embrace their identity, access resources and share their experiences with pride.”

In his remarks, Donald P. Scott, who was commissioned in the Army as a second lieutenant, focused on ensuring veterans are more acutely aware of that which they’re entitled. He cited the Mission Act of 2019, which expanded health care access for eligible veterans by allowing them to receive care from private community providers when certain conditions are met. Those include having no U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facility, long wait times or lengthy commutes.

Such services can include help for substance-abuse care, Scott noted.

In addition, some veterans can apply for the VA Aid and Attendance benefit, which is a supplemental payment for war-era veterans and their spouses who need financial assistance for long-term care because of a nonservice-related medical condition. Those who qualify have to fall below a certain income level, said Scott, a 1980 South High School graduate who was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame in 2023.

Scott, who also is an attorney, served many years in law enforcement, including with the Youngstown Police Department, the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Capitol Police Department.

Scott also urged those who served the nation to obtain VA disability ratings, which are numerical assessments the Department of Veterans Affairs uses to calculate the severity of veterans’ service-related disabilities for them to receive compensation and other benefits.

As Youngstown continues its revitalization efforts, veterans’ skill sets and talents, along with those of others, are essential, Howell said.

“You still are a core part of our city,” he added.