The State of Women Veterans Today

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 08:26:34 -0400

Women are currently the fastest growing sub-population of today’s greater veteran community. To put it in perspective, while the total percentage of all veterans in the United States is declining, the percentage of women veterans within that number is growing. This means the veteran population of tomorrow will look very different that it does today. We’re only staring to understand how this change will present different challenges that we haven’t previously seen.

We need to be prepared both as a community of veterans in Rally Point, and as a country, to understand, and have meaningful conversations about what it means to be a woman veteran in today’s society. Furthermore, Federal, state, and local communities need to better understand the impact presented by this new veteran landscape.

For perspective, women veterans outpace their peers in just about any demographic currently measured. When compared to both non-veteran women, and male veteran peers, women veterans show up very differently. Statistics related specifically to women veterans still do not receive the attention needed for long term success after military service.

After separating or retiring from the service, data is proving that women veterans experience trends unlike veterans of any other service era. Women veterans earn money than non-veteran women, work in higher levels of management and earn more college degrees. In this respect, our statistics are surprisingly high.

But these high statistics don’t stop there, compared to male veterans and non-veteran women, women veterans also lead in almost every negative demographic.

After service, women veterans overwhelmingly diverge into 2 extremely disparate groups, those that are very successful, and those that face challenges unlike any other veteran population in our nation’s history. If we don’t address this issue now, and have meaningful conversations, the problem will become harder and harder to address.

One of the primary barrier to understanding women veteran challenges is because the “visible” women veterans we tend to see in society are the women veterans that are succeeding. These are the women veterans that actively participate in their veteran and non-veteran communities. These are the women you see active in Rally Point, for example. They also tend to over index as compared to male veterans for initiatives such as The Mission Continues. Here, women veterans are a very visible indicator of how a woman veteran can thrive today.

However, there are many other women veterans we don’t see. And this makes it more difficult to understand the challenges they currently face. Women veterans have greater chance of becoming homeless compared to their male veteran counterparts. Adding to the problem, many are “couch surfing”, technically homeless, but moving from one friend’s home to another. Big picture, this hides the true nature of the problem, and makes it harder to quantify it as a true issue.

When it comes to suicide, the likelihood of women veterans to commit suicide is growing at a rate double that of male veterans. Furthermore, in relation to non-veteran women, women veterans are 5-6 times more likely to commit suicide, and 12 times more likely than women aged 18-29 that haven’t served.

Compared to non-veteran women, women veterans are almost twice as likely to be divorced, and three times more likely to be a victim of intimate partner violence.

Finally, 1 in 5 women report having been a victim of Military Sexual Trauma. Based on a recent DoD report, this statistic appears to be climbing.

Here’s the most critical point - most women veterans face not one, but multiple negative trends, creating an exponential impact. This creates a stew like situation, making it increasingly harder to address. To be effective at addressing these situations, we need to get in front of the root cause, and focus on prevention rather than response.

Support from the Rally Point community critical. As veterans, we’re used to leading the way, and setting a standard higher than the rest of society. We can all be advocates for initiatives and programs supporting women veterans. When our community starts seeing women veterans as a significant sub-population of our veteran cohort, we will be better prepared for the next steps. Whether it’s reaching out one-on-one in your local community or via Rally Point, or supporting a larger initiative, we all will play a role in developing the future of the veteran community.

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Mar 29 at 2021 8:34 AM

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 08:34:24 -0400

I have been working with some homeless women veterans as well as some who have ended up in veterans' courts.
There are a number of resources but unfortunately, getting the word out seems to be difficult

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2021 11:33 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 11:33:27 -0400

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member A great post Colonel. During my civilian career, the hardest working and dedicated co-workers were women veterans.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Mar 29 at 2021 12:00 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 12:00:07 -0400

I doubt if I need to be told what to think about this.

Response by CPT David Gowel made Apr 1 at 2021 4:56 AM

CPT David Gowel — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 04:56:45 -0400

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member as a combat arms veteran who served in mostly all-male units, I was ignorant to the challenges faced by our female servicemembers and veterans. It is valuable to have you share these data points and I look forward to learning more from you.

Response by Maj Alea Nadeem made Apr 1 at 2021 10:44 AM

Maj Alea Nadeem — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 10:44:31 -0400

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member thank you for highlighting that women serving in our military is only increasing and how we need to start looking at what the veteran woman will look like post service and how we can try and get after these issues early.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 9 at 2021 8:25 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 20:25:14 -0400

this statement " 1 in 5 women report having been a victim of Military Sexual Trauma". Is extremely low. A lot is going to have to change in the executive suites as women veterans are getting shortchanged. I've seen my local VA run off two very good female providers. Support groups for female veterans don't exist. It took me 5 years of lobbying to get a support group for LGBT veterans. Then Covid happened and everything went out the door. Instead of taking care of the people they are supposed to they abdicated their responsibility for care. The VA ignored its at risk populations and that cost the life of a female Vet that I knew who took her own life.

The VA has to become more accessible to those it serves. This 0845 to 1645 has to go out the door. The VA needs longer hours . How does a woman with a family and job supposed to find time for a support group. Its time for the VA to rethink how it provides care. BTW this telehealth may be fine for young folks but old folks either don't have computers, don't understand how to use them or like myself would rather have face to face meetings. I mean who wants to discuss intimate issues, feelings, fear or other issues over such insecure platforms as Zoom, Duo or Facebook. I've talked many times with folks at my VA and these folks are at home. They have me on a speaker and you can hear the kids and everyone else in the background so how is this information private. I mean how many people are listening in and just how secure is their computer and connection.

There is a lot of work that needs to be done and until the Old Boys Club is done away with nothing will happen.

Response by LTC(P) Christina Moore made Apr 21 at 2021 11:42 PM

LTC(P) Christina Moore — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 23:42:53 -0400

Your article hit some great points. I appreciate you!

Response by Sgt Kerry Thurlow made Apr 29 at 2021 10:10 PM

Sgt Kerry Thurlow — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 22:10:47 -0400

It would be an amazing thing for the VA to take services for us out of the darkest corner of the facility and make us visible. My VA facility has one part-time provider...and one NP that fills in 2.5 days a week. We wait for weeks for appointments. We go to civilian providers who look at us oddly when we present our VA ID and referral documents for appointments.

MST/IPV Services...that's a joke. I waited 90 days for a coordinator to contact me and then I waited over four months for a provider.

As a grandmother, I have permanent guardianship of my grandsons. The VA doesn't consider my grandsons to be my dependents....unless I adopt them. I cannot afford 10k to adopt two kids that I have raised for ten years. Even if I had 10k, the IRS permits me to claim them as dependents...why can't the VA??

Things are changing....ok, great when do these "things" change at the front-line service level? When to these pilot programs shift from large urban areas to the rest of the country?

Response by SSgt Valerie Minchew made May 12 at 2021 4:02 PM

SSgt Valerie Minchew — Wed, 12 May 2021 16:02:03 -0400

Women Veteran across the nation are finding themselves through WoVeN - the Women Veterans Network. Check out the website http://www.wovenwomenvets.org
I found them and have become a Peer Leader, and recruit women veterans to take part in this life changing journey to self-discovery with a community of other women veterans for support.

WoVeN | Women Veterans Network

To provide a unique social network of women Veterans to foster connections and build relationships in local communities and across the nation.

Response by SrA Gina Hotard made May 25 at 2021 7:50 PM

SrA Gina Hotard — Tue, 25 May 2021 19:50:51 -0400

I could claim you were talking about me! Was homeless, MST, PTSD, you name it. Today I’m doing awesome. Tired of people assuming I’m the spouse of a vet instead of the veteran.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 13 at 2021 11:23 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 13 Jun 2021 23:23:29 -0400

I'm sorry, have someone proof your writing before you release it, please.
You have a valid point but as I read it I had to keep going back to fill in the missing words and correct the grammar.

Response by AA Loreen Silvarahawk made Jun 14 at 2021 8:07 AM

AA Loreen Silvarahawk — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 08:07:39 -0400

When I was in the service, most women were treated as nothing more than lower class citizens. Things have advanced where women are respected more but it has to be earned. When they get out of the service, many are vastly unprepared for civilian life. A few may return to service, many marry or are already married, and far too many are the forgotten ones. These are the ones who have PTSD and cannot cope with the world and therefore become homeless. I have seen first-hand how women are treated in a VA clinic and/or hospital and it is not right. Yes women have come a long way but there is far more that can be done to support women Veterans.

Response by SPC Charles Sewell made Jun 29 at 2021 3:20 PM

SPC Charles Sewell — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 15:20:24 -0400

Data often is skewed. Men vets struggle all the time, just don't hear about it. All veteran support is declining, it's not cool to be a vet any more. I am giving back my vet plates because people are aggressive when they see them. It's a voluntary force , our culture is changing big time. Combat troops are driven by testosterone and are skilled in the art of killing, not a place for women, some women have a special talent perhaps in espionage etc. However , to rely on our women for this nation to be combat ready for a world war, is a no go.

Response by SPC Charles Sewell made Jun 29 at 2021 3:29 PM

SPC Charles Sewell — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 15:29:43 -0400

A nation should protect it's women , not put them in harm's way.