WASHINGTON – On May 5 Department of Veterans Affairs Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs L. Tammy Duckworth, was honored by Running Start at their annual Women to Watch Awards in Washington, DC.

She spoke to a crowd of 300 young women at a ceremony at the National Press Club.

"We make our nation stronger by supporting the 200,000 women currently serving in the armed forces and the approximately 1.7 million women veterans in our country that need our help," Assistant Secretary L. Tammy Duckworth said. "It's time to stop being surprised that America's daughters are fully capable of doing their jobs and fighting for our freedoms. I recognize that I am here today because I stand on the shoulders of the men and women who opened the doors for women to serve."

Running Start is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring young women to run for political office. It offers high school and college women the unique opportunity to hear from today's leaders.

By educating young women about the importance of politics and giving them the skills they need to become leaders, they give them the running start they need to reach their aspirations.

Assistant Secretary Duckworth was introduced by State Representative Linda Chapa LaVia from the state of Illinois.

She was recognized as a "Woman to Watch" by Running Start along with Erin Issabelle Burnett, CNBC television anchor; Betsy Fischer, executive producer of Meet the Press; Julie Gilbert, founder and chief executive officer of Wolf Means Business; and Mona Sutphen, deputy chief of staff for the Obama administration.