From left, Stockton University President Joe Bertolino; Derek Massey, a Stockton sophomore from Mays Landing who served in the Air Force and is the president of Military Affiliate Students of Stockton; Martha Wygmans, Stockton Vice President for Student Affairs; Ashley Jones, veteran and military-connected student success coordinator; Michael Barany, Army veteran and director for veteran and military-connected student success; Coast Guard Lt. Victoria Castleberry; Lucy Del Gaudio, an Army veteran and the first Women Veterans Coordinator for the New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs; and Terricita Sass, executive vice president and chief of staff at Stockton.
Coast Guard commander and Army veteran share personal experiences, challenges and the importance of supporting women in the military.
GALLOWAY, N.J. — Stockton University honored the service and sacrifices of women in the U.S. military during its annual Veterans Day Recognition Ceremony on Tuesday, November 10, featuring two speakers who shared their experiences breaking barriers, overcoming challenges and advocating for future generations of service members.
Coast Guard Lt. Victoria Castleberry, commanding officer of the cutter Angela McShan, and Army veteran Lucy Del Gaudio, New Jersey's first Women Veterans Coordinator, delivered messages about progress, perseverance and the continuing need to recognize the contributions of women who have served their country.
“A strong military is one that draws on the full talent, character and commitment of the nation it serves,” Castleberry told those attending the ceremony. “We stand on the shoulders of women who volunteered when few opportunities were available.”
Castleberry, who serves at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, comes from a family with a history of military service dating to the Revolutionary War. Yet she believes she is the first woman in her family to wear the uniform.
“That point of information has made me appreciate the legacy of women who served as trailblazers and women whose service was overlooked, minimized or excluded from the official records,” she said.
A 2018 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy, Castleberry noted that the academy became the first federal service academy to admit women in 1976.
Despite that milestone, she recalled that women remained significantly underrepresented when she began her career.
On her first cutter assignment, none of the enlisted personnel were women, and just six members of the 75-person crew were female.
Today, Castleberry commands a cutter named in honor of a female Coast Guard hero and works alongside women in other senior leadership positions.
“Now, I have the privilege of serving as a commanding officer of a cutter named after a female Coast Guard hero. I have a female executive officer and I report to a female district flag officer,” she said. “As an ensign, I did not expect to see that combination of leadership around me.”
Castleberry emphasized that the opportunities available to women today are the result of sacrifices made by earlier generations.
“The opportunities we have today exist because of those who came before us, and the legacy we leave behind is defined by what we do with those opportunities,” she said.
Army Veteran Discusses Trauma, Advocacy and Recognition
The ceremony also featured a deeply personal message from Lucy Del Gaudio, who served eight years in the Army, including during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Now serving as the first Women Veterans Coordinator for the New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs, Del Gaudio has devoted much of her post-military career to ensuring that women veterans receive the recognition, services and support they deserve.
She acknowledged that her own military experience included trauma that continued to affect her long after leaving the service.
“My own military experience included trauma that changed the course of my life. Like many women of my generation, I carry this long after leaving the military,” Del Gaudio said.
“We can love our country, be proud of our service and still recognize that changes are needed to better protect and support those who serve. Both things can be true.”
Del Gaudio has been involved in efforts to address military sexual trauma, including testifying before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee in 2020.
She also helped establish June 12 as Women's Veterans Appreciation Day in New Jersey in 2019, an effort intended to ensure that women who served receive the same recognition as their male counterparts.
“That recognition was never simply about having another day on the calendar, but it was creating an opportunity to acknowledge women's military service,” she said.
“We wore the uniform. We took the oath. We served our country, and we earned the title, veteran. And we should never have to explain or defend it.”
Encouraging the Next Generation
Del Gaudio also used her appearance at Stockton to encourage student veterans to continue pursuing their education and personal goals after military service.
She told the audience that she is nearing completion of her own bachelor's degree in Public Policy, demonstrating that opportunities for personal growth do not end when military service concludes.
“To the student veterans here today, I want to encourage you to keep moving forward. Your military service is an important part of your life, but it does not have to define everything you will become,” she said.
Her final message was directed particularly toward women veterans.
“And to the women, please never minimize your service or accomplishments. You belong here. Your experience matters. Your education matters. Your voice matters.”
Stockton Veterans Week Continues With Public Events
The recognition ceremony was part of Stockton University's Veterans Week 2026, organized by the university's Veterans and Military-Connected Student Success office and the Military Affiliated Students of Stockton club.
Two additional events are scheduled this week.
Thursday, November 12 — Military Meals Ready-to-Eat Tasting
From 12:30 to 2 p.m., visitors can sample Meals Ready-to-Eat, commonly known as MREs, which are packaged meals used by military personnel in the field.
The event will take place at Independence Plaza on Stockton's Galloway campus and will provide an opportunity to meet and interact with military-affiliated students.
In the event of inclement weather, the tasting will move indoors to the G-Wing Lower Gallery Atrium.
Saturday, November 14 — Bay Atlantic Symphony Veterans Day Concert
Stockton's Veterans Week concludes with a musical tribute to members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The Bay Atlantic Symphony will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Stockton University Performing Arts Center.
The concert is free and open to the public, although advance tickets are required.
Tickets are available through the Stockton Performing Arts Center website.
For additional information about Veterans Week activities, residents can contact Stockton's Office of Veteran & Military-Connected Student Success at VMCSS@stockton.edu.
The university's annual recognition ceremony serves as a reminder that military service extends across generations, and that the contributions of women who have served deserve recognition not only on Veterans Day, but throughout the year.
