an ' s ▁group ▁for ▁women ▁rather ▁than ▁the ▁sub marine ▁specific ▁group . ▁Hel ms ▁eventually ▁pre va iled ▁after ▁a ▁few ▁months ▁and ▁claims ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁to ▁ever ▁join ▁the ▁organization . ▁ ▁Activ ism ▁▁ ▁Hel ms ▁created ▁the ▁Trans gender ▁P ride ▁Flag ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁first ▁flow n ▁at ▁a ▁P ride ▁Par ade ▁in ▁Phoenix , ▁Arizona , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁Hel ms ▁don ated ▁the ▁original ▁Trans gender ▁P ride ▁Flag ▁at ▁the ▁first ▁ceremony ▁hon oring ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁L GB T ▁historical ▁items ▁at ▁the ▁Smith son ian ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁Hel ms ▁founded ▁the ▁Trans gender ▁American ▁V eter ans ▁Association ▁( TA VA ) ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁and ▁remained ▁president ▁until ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁On ▁May ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁T AVA ▁spons ored ▁the ▁first ▁ever ▁Trans gender ▁V eter ans ▁March ▁to ▁the ▁Wall . ▁ ▁Fif ty ▁trans ▁veter ans ▁arrived ▁in ▁DC ▁and ▁visited ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁Memorial ▁to ▁honor ▁people ▁they ▁knew ▁whose ▁names ▁are ▁on ▁The ▁Wall . ▁ ▁They ▁also ▁made ▁history ▁when ▁they ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁open ly ▁trans gender ▁people ▁to ▁lay ▁a ▁w re ath ▁at ▁the ▁T omb ▁of ▁the ▁Un known s . ▁They ▁did ▁it ▁again ▁in ▁ 2 0 0