Though the number of women in the military is on the rise, many female veterans still have trouble obtaining the resources that they need once they return from service. A new campaign by the Department of Veterans Affairs aims to address that problem.
On June 2, the VA announced a nationwide series of one-day events that will serve to raise awareness while celebrating the stories of female veterans. The events will provide an overview of the benefits and services available to women vets and provide experts to answer related questions. Staff members from the VA and local agencies that aid veterans will also be in attendance.
The events are part of a national campaign launched by the VA in March 2015 entitled "Women Veterans: Celebrating Our Stories of Service," and will be held in St. Petersburg, Florida (June 12), San Diego, California (July 10), Houston, Texas (Aug. 7), Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota (Sept. 14) and Washington, D.C. (Sept. 22).
There are many resources available that aim to specifically meet the needs of female veterans.
"We have found that our women veterans often put the needs of others first," said Elisa Basnight, director of VA's Center for Women Veterans. "We encourage them to make themselves a priority, to learn about the benefits and services which they've earned through their dedicated service. We are bringing our experts to them, where they are."
A report released in 2014 by the Disabled American Veterans showed that serious gender gaps existed in nearly every service provided to veterans, The Associated Press reported.
The VA hopes that the campaign will start conversations about what can be done to better meet the needs of female veterans in the U.S.