5/15/2012: Honoring Women of Distinction in New York (Ardeane Greene-Cook)

Ardeane Greene-Cook is truly a woman of diversity. A native New Yorker, Ms. Greene-Cook enlisted in the United States Army on the advice of her father who was a WW II and Korean era veteran. Upon completing boot camp, she trained as a medic and was eventually assigned to the 514th Medical Ambulance Co. at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts.

At Ft. Devens, Ms. Greene-Cook took on many responsibilities in addition to being a medic. She also worked on rotation at Cutler Army Hospital in the pediatrics clinic, and was in charge of the wart clinic. When not assigned to the hospital, Ms. Greene-Cook worked as the company clerk assisting the first sergeant in preparing duty rosters, assigning rooms to incoming soldiers, as well as performing various other office duties. At the time, she also was charged with maintaining her assigned vehicle, an ambulance at the motor pool.

Ms. Greene-Cook took part in a training exercise in Germany where she was the on-call ambulance driver medic for the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH). She received recognition for her outstanding work in Germany, and also earned her badge for weapons qualify cations as a sharpshooter and is the recipient of the Good Conduct Medal.

After being honorably discharged in 1979, Ms. Greene-Cook went on to work for the New York State Department of Labor Employment Division as a Disabled Veterans Outreach Person (DVOP). As a DVOP, Ms. Greene-Cook worked tirelessly assisting other veterans in obtaining gainful employment through career counseling, resume preparation and testing. She also provided assistance to veterans who were homeless.

Ms. Greene-Cook took early retirement due to her diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. While on active duty she was the victim of Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and was subjected to sexual harassment, assault and rape. No longer a victim but a survivor, Ms. Greene-Cook advocates on behalf of female veterans who are victims of MST. She has helped countless women change their lives through counseling and assistance. Ms. Greene-Cook took part in a protest at St. Albans VA Medical Hospital, to ensure that a full scale veterans hospital includegynecological services. She has appeared on the Montel Williams show speaking about MST and women soldiers.

Ms. Greene-Cook has volunteered as an adult literacy tutor and is a notary public. She is currently an ordained minister who believes that ministry is simply seeing need and meeting that need. Her motto is, “caring enough to make a difference.”