Members of the newly formed Mercer County Veterans Advisory Council vigorously dispute a claim of sexual discrimination by a woman who was not placed on the council.

Members say they are part outraged, part bewildered by the claim.

Suzanne Emery, a 73-year-old Mercer woman who rose to the rank of major in the Air Force Nurse Corps, told The Allied News recently that she was upset only men were chosen for the council by members of area veterans' organizations. She lobbied for an at-large seat on the council, which has 11 primary members and nine alternates.

The council was created in mid-February to be a voice for the county's 14,000 veterans and the eyes and ears for the county Veterans Affairs Office. Under the group's by-laws, council members come from the county's eight veterans' organizations and are elected by members of their respective clubs. Commissioner Olivia Lazor has said about a third of the county's vets belong to organizations.

The council's immediate focus had been playing a role in selecting a new county Veterans Affairs director. The current director, James Smartz, is retiring at the end of June.

"The saying is a vet is a vet is a vet and gender or rank has nothing to do with it," Roy Heasley told county commissioners Thursday.

"If Suzanne Emery wants to be on the council, why doesn't she do like all the other vets and participate in a local veterans' organization? Maybe then she would get appointed to the council," Heasley said.

Ms. Emery belongs to two organizations, but is not active in them, Heasley said.

"It appears Suzanne thinks just because she is a woman she should be treated differently. That's discrimination. We haven't seen her at any county or district meetings. If she hasn't participated in any veterans' activities, what does she know?" Heasley added.

"I served my country with honor. I did not get drafted, I volunteered," said Ms. Emery, a combat flight nurse in Viet-nam. I do what I am asked. But I haven't been asked to do much."

Council President William Brandenstein said he felt the council was "blindsided" by Ms. Emery's claims in the newspaper.

"We are not going to discriminate against any veteran. We're trying to help all of them. We've had two full meetings and we're just trying to get to the business at hand, which is to help find a replacement in the county (Veterans Affairs) office," Brandenstein said.

Commissioner Kenneth Seamans, liaison to the council, said he is not going to tell the group how to conduct their affairs. "I'm not going to tell you what to do. That would undermine the point and object of the council," he said.

"The council has adopted by-laws and as long as they stick to them, I will live with their decisions as long as I am here," Seamans said.

Mrs. Lazor said perhaps a women's veterans organization could form and elect a representative to the council. "The idea is not to circumvent citizen representation and communication. The idea is for issues to be heard," she said.

When asked how far she would take her fight for a place at the veteran' s table, Ms. Emery said, "I'm going to take it to Washington if I have to."