MVAA Apologizing For Cancelling Women Veterans Conference

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 10/17/2025) The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) is apologizing for canceling an annual event for women veterans scheduled for this past weekend without talking things out with “the appropriate leadership or stakeholders.”

The Women Veterans Conference has been held annually for the last three years as an opportunity for women who served in the armed forces to “feel that camaraderie” and friendship, said Theresa Robinson, a U.S. Navy veteran from Rockford. Robinson and several other women veterans held a small demonstration on the Capitol steps last week after they received word from the MVAA that the event was being canceled due to budget concerns.

The MVAA operations budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 was cut $1.7 million from $10.15 million to $8.45 million in conference committee earlier this month, a cut that had not been in the executive, House or Senate budget.

Still, Robinson and others say pulling the rug out from under women veterans a week before the event amplifies the reason the conference was called in the first place.

“Often, we feel overlooked, and this conference lifts up our visibility,” she said. “We won't be treated like this.”

The American Legion had raised $10,000 for the event, which had 200 registered before it was canceled. Now, a mini-conference is being thrown together at a Byron Center farm and a local American Legion hall. Around 40 to 50 veterans said they could make it. At least one of the speakers scheduled to attend the original conference said she can make it to an abbreviated gathering.

The MVAA issued a statement Tuesday reading, “We are grateful for the overwhelming level of interest in this event and recognize how important it is to create spaces where women veterans can connect, grow and feel supported. We want to be clear: We made a mistake, and are committed to doing better.”

MVAA said it was working with the venue to reschedule and urged women veterans to stay connected with the agency for updates.

The legislative chairman of the Marine Corps League, Mark Sutton, said the situation, combined with other issues, has him convinced that new leadership is needed. If budget concerns were the reason to cancel the event, MVAA officials should have thought to ask for some emergency sponsors to fill in the gaps.

“The MVAA has a program of Veteran-friendly companies to present certificates for being Veteran-Friendly employers,” Sutton said. “Did the MVAA not approach enough companies to sponsor the event to pay for the event? I think that this event would be an easy sell for sponsors.”

Sutton said he's losing heart with the current leadership. After 20-some years, there's still no state veterans' cemetery. Eight years after a recommendation that seven new State Veterans Homes be built, only one build and two rebuilds have taken place. Counties and Veteran Service Coalitions are having a hard time getting money from the state.

“Having worked directly on these issues for many years, I can say that, in some ways, Michigan has improved, but we continue to fight the same battles we had 20 years ago. Veteran services and advocacy can improve in Michigan with the right leadership,” Sutton said. “If the current Adjutant General and MVAA Director cannot take responsibility for problems and commit to fixing them. In that case, I ask Governor Whitmer to make a change to someone who can.”