This Veteran’s Day feels particularly poignant in light of the recent tragedy at Fort Hood, Texas. Thirteen soldiers and civilians were slain and more than 29 wounded in a gunman’s rampage on Thursday, November 5. Among the dead are Sgt. Amy Krueger, who was to be deployed to Afghanistan in December; Lt. Col. Juanita Warman, a military physician assistant; and Pvt. Francheska Velez, who recently returned from deployment in Iraq and was only on base to complete paperwork related to her pregnancy. These women, and the six others who were wounded, are some of the more than 1.8 million women among our country’s 23.4 million veterans.
The documentary film Lioness goes inside a unit of female soldiers in Iraq.
While women are serving in greater numbers at all levels of the military, they continue to face unique challenges, including sexual harassment and assault, homelessness, and inadequate health care. A recent report by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America outlines some of the barriers that women face during service and the transition home. A few numbers illustrate some of the challenges facing today’s women veterans:
- Female veterans are more likely to be single parents and in greater need of child care services.
- More than 6,000 female veterans are homeless nationwide.
- Women veterans are four times more likely to be homeless than non-veteran women.
- One-third of female troops have faced sexual discrimination or assault.
- More than 8,000 female veterans have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Legislative efforts are being undertaken to recognize the service, achievements, and needs of women veterans. In June, the House passed the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act, a bill to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans. More recently, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), the only female member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, introduced the Homeless Women Veterans and Homeless Veterans with Children Act of 2009, a grant program for transitioning homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children back to the daily routine of life at home. In her opening statements to the committee about the bill, Murray said,
“It’s our duty to give every veteran the resources he or she needs to keep themselves and their families off the streets and in safe and stable housing. My bill would help provide an open door and a helping hand to homeless women and families who have made such great sacrifices and deserve more than just the thanks of a grateful nation. And I urge my colleagues to support it.”
It is estimated that by 2010 women will make up nearly 14 percent of the American veteran population. The face of today’s military is changing, and we must pledge to better serve and support women veterans.
Today I honor all those who have served, but especially those women at arms.
