{"id":409,"date":"2025-09-12T19:28:13","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T19:28:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/?page_id=409"},"modified":"2026-01-30T19:25:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T19:25:13","slug":"alicia-christy-ret-col","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/alicia-christy-ret-col\/","title":{"rendered":"Alicia Christy, (Ret.) COL"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n

US Army 1981-2003<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Obstetrician Gynecologist Medical Corps<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Go to full interview<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Biography<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Alicia Christy is an African American author, artist, physician, and Army Veteran. She retired as Deputy Director of Reproductive Health at the Veterans Health Administration in 2023 . She holds the rank of professor at the Uniformed Services University, and adjunct professor at Howard University School of Medicine. Her military career began in 1977 when she received a Health Professions scholarship for medical school.  She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.  She was assigned to Frankfurt Army Medical Center, Madigan Army Medical Center, and the Uniformed Services University. She ended her military career at Walter Reed Army Medical Center where she was chair of the obstetrics and gynecology department. Dr. Christy has had the privilege of caring for active-duty service women and women veterans for more than 40 years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
COL Alica Christy, MD, 2001<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Outside of providing care in medical facilities, Dr. Christy\u2019s leadership with advocacy and community volunteerism shows her devotion to mentoring, working for social change to improve the health quality for women of all races and ethnicities, and supporting programs to address topics such as homelessness, domestic violence, and military service. Her journey as an artist, professional illustrator, and physician activist are outlined in \u201cA Legacy of Activism\u201d,  and \u201cArt and Activism\u201d published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). ACOG has also published her artwork and comments about patient advocacy and Black maternal health disparities in her articles and artwork entitled Standing With and For My Patients and Black Doctors Telling the Stories of Black Mothers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Self Portrait 2022<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

She advocates for health equity for women of all races and ethnicities. Dr. Christy is the recipient of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine Humanism in Medicine award, and the Cade Foundation Family Building Champion award. Her When Will Black Lives Matter, We must Speak for the Voiceless and Fulnerable, and Faces of the Fallen are just a few of her artworks featured by Art Against Racism, Academic Medicine, American Medical Association Journal of Ethics and many, many more. The awards and accolades Dr. Christy has received as a medical professional, military leader, federal employee, artist and active community member are substantial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, she is a Uniting US Board Member and experienced facilitator who engages in programs to support healing, wellness, and community build. Blending her leadership experiences in the military, medical, and policy areas, Alicia\u2019s selfless dedication is present in programs like Stories of the Fallen and the Rise of Women in the Military.  She leads the Uniting US Faces of the Fallen portrait and stories program. Her series of portraits, \u201cFaces of the Fallen: Women Proudly Served,\u201d is a tribute to women who lost their lives in service to our country, including Lieutenant Colonel Karen Wagner, who was her Company Commander. LTC Wagner\u2019s portrait was published in a special issue of Seminars in Reproductive Medicine co-edited by Dr. Christy. Her artwork has been featured in the Library of Congress, professional galleries, and in high profile public locations like Reagan National and Dulles International airports. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n

Positive Changes for Military Reproductive Care<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Jason Higgins:<\/strong> What are some of the greatest changes that you’ve witnessed or experienced yourself in the military related to women’s health?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alicia Christy:<\/strong> Well, there are a number, starting with the Pregnancy Policy, there’s been an increase in the number of days of postpartum leave\u2014the number of weeks, of postpartum leave\u2014 and I think that has been a great benefit. And also, more information about guidance regarding services, and for the active duty, guidance regarding requirements for fitness training and fitness testing. And also, more recently, both within the VA and within DOD, some of the policies regarding not having to use leave to receive medical care, and so particularly for things like infertility care like IVF, that’s not available everywhere geographically, and the service members can’t control where they’re stationed, and so they did not have to use leave for those services.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n