CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dana Draa served in the military and now works helping people with vision loss in Charlotte. 

What You Need To Know

  • Dana Draa is a veteran who served in the military for 10 years

  • She said sometimes people have questioned her veteran status

  • One little thing she wants to get across is veterans are diverse

Draa is the chief program officer at Metrolina Association for the Blind, where she oversees programs benefiting people with vision loss. 

“I really care about the equity involved with, champion people with disabilities,” Draa said.

Some of the people she serves are veterans, which is a population close to her heart. 

“Both of my grandfathers were in World War II and my grandmother was in World War II and then my father was in Vietnam," she said. "I was in Desert Storm.”

She was in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Navy Reserves and Alaska’s Army National Guard. Collectively, she served 10 years and was four years in active duty in the U.S. Navy. 

Draa proudly displays mementos, medals, pictures and plaques in her office. 

“I like to be reminded of my connection to all of that and all the great work that is being done by those individuals, all the sacrifices that have happened,” Draa said. 

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 11% of all veterans are women. Yet Draa said people have questioned her veteran status before. 

“People don’t look at me and immediately associate the fact that I might be a veteran,” Draa said. 

Once at the grocery store, Draa used a veteran parking spot and a woman asked her if she was indeed a veteran before walking away. 

“It took me aback because I consider myself every bit of a veteran as anybody else that would be parking on those spots,” Draa said.

She said one little thing could’ve made this encounter positive. 

“Maybe a high five, maybe a thank you for your service,” Draa said. 

For Draa, the assumptions have gone beyond her veteran status.

“When people ask me is your husband also a veteran, not only am I the veteran but I also have a wife,” Draa said. 

Draa has a wife and two children and one little thing she wants people to know is veterans are diverse.

“Consider that veterans look all different ways, they dress different ways, they drive all sorts of different cars and a lot of them continue to serve your community at the highest level possible,” Draa said. 

She added she hopes when people meet her they will focus on what matters, which is being a human, a veteran and a community member who gives back.