Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates Women Veterans During Annual Deborah Sampson Award Ceremony

Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates Women Veterans During Annual Deborah Sampson Award Ceremony 

Truc DeCoste Named 2026 Deborah Sampson Award Recipient 

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today honored Pembroke resident Truc DeCoste as the 2026 Deborah Sampson Award winner during the annual Women Veterans Recognition Day ceremony at the Massachusetts State House.  

The award, presented each June by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Veterans Services’ Women Veterans Network (WVN), recognizes a woman veteran who exemplifies exceptional service, leadership, and commitment to uplifting and empowering women within the veteran community. 

The ceremony featured remarks by Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, Veterans Services Secretary Eric Goralnick, Veterans Services Deputy Secretary Andrea Gayle-Bennett, and Women Veterans Network Director Jessica Frost. 

 “Massachusetts is proud to be home to so many women veterans who have answered the call to serve our country and continue serving their communities long after they leave the military,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Truc DeCoste embodies that spirit of service. From her military career to her work supporting veterans and military families, she has made a lasting difference in the lives of others, and we’re proud to recognize her with this year’s Deborah Sampson Award.” 

 “Truc has devoted her life to service — from serving our country overseas to helping veterans and military spouses build successful futures here at home,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “She represents the very best of what this award stands for: leadership, advocacy and a commitment to lifting others up. Congratulations to Truc and to all of this year’s outstanding nominees, whose contributions continue to strengthen the veteran community across Massachusetts.” 

“Truc's impact extends far beyond her distinguished military career,” said Secretary Eric Goralnick. “Since her service, she has become a trusted leader, mentor, and champion for veterans throughout the Commonwealth, ensuring others have the same opportunities, support, and sense of belonging that inspired her own journey.” 

DeCoste is an Air Force veteran, first-generation Vietnamese immigrant, mother of three, and wife of an Army National Guard veteran. Inspired by her family’s journey to the United States through the Amerasian Homecoming Act and her grandfather’s service during the Vietnam War, she became a U.S. citizen and chose to serve in the Air Force in his honor. As an Airborne Cryptologic Linguist specializing in Persian Farsi and Dari, she deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, from 2011 to 2012, flying more than 150 combat sorties aboard the MC-12W as a Tactical Systems Operator. She later earned a degree in Criminal Justice from UMass Boston and continued her service in the Massachusetts Air National Guard as an Intelligence Analyst. 

Following her military career, Truc dedicated herself to supporting veterans and military families through leadership roles with the Home Base Program and, since January 2025, as Southeast Regional Liaison for the Office of the Veteran Advocate. She also volunteers with FourBlock, helping veterans and military spouses transition into civilian careers. Her work reflects a lifelong commitment to service, advocacy, and strengthening the veteran community across Massachusetts. 

DeCoste could not attend the ceremony in-person, but she accepted the honor via a pre-recorded video message. All nominees received an official citation, including Christine Amendola, Kailie Benson, Linda Blackwell, Holly Cote, Yissel Franco, Tabith Gendreau, BettyJo O’Brien, Debora Olson, Gwendolyn Randall, Alicia Reddin, Stephanie Shaw, and Mary Standish. 

Every June 12, Women Veterans Recognition Day honors the signing of the 1948 Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, groundbreaking legislation that granted women the right to serve as permanent members of the U.S. military. Prior to then, only women nurses could serve in the regular and reserve forces during peacetime. The day serves as a reminder of the progress made—and the work that remains—to fully recognize and support women who serve.   

In recognition of this day, the WVN honors a Massachusetts woman veteran with the Deborah Sampson award. Named after the Massachusetts Revolutionary War hero who disguised herself as a man to serve in combat, the award is the highest honor that EOVS bestows upon a woman veteran. Recent winners have included: Ashley Booker (2025), Mary-dith Tuitt (2024), and Jenny D’Olympia (2023).  

For the first time in its history, the award ceremony was attended by a descendant of Deborah Sampson: her sixth great-granddaughter, Melissa Stafford. “I only recently discovered my connection to Deborah Sampson, and I’m incredibly proud to represent our family here today,” said Stafford. 

The ceremony featured the Presentation of Colors by the Madison Park Technical Vocational High School JROTC; the National Anthem by the Chelsea High School Choir; an Invocation by Chaplain Kelsey Lyon, and a dramatic retelling of the Deborah Sampson story by reenactor Janet Parnes. 

The WVN is deeply committed to celebrating and supporting women veterans, the fastest-growing veteran demographic in Massachusetts. The 3,200-member WVN is thriving, thanks to increased outreach efforts across the Commonwealth, including more than 50 service engagements and events each year. In 2026, the WVN drew hundreds of attendees to its annual Women Veterans Recognition luncheon in March and its18th Annual Conference in May, all with the aim of connecting women veterans to resources, helping them navigate the transition to civilian life, ensuring they receive the recognition they deserve, and to help them build lasting networks of support.