“Women's military experiences and post-service needs often differ from those of men. The current U.S. veteran population includes 2 million women—and that number is growing. However, policies and programs to support veterans' transitions to civilian life often fall short in meeting the needs of veteran women.”
Key points:
- Women are the fastest-growing population of service members and veterans and, according to the Veterans Health Administration, they account for 30 percent of new patients.
- Veteran women differ from veteran men and their nonveteran counterparts, in their needs, and in the issues they face.
- Veteran women continue to face barriers to gender-specific mental and physical health care, including combat trauma, military sexual trauma, and family planning needs.
- Women veterans are more likely to face certain transitioning to civilian life challenges, such as dismissive assumptions about their service, the effects of military sexual trauma, and the need to balance work and caregiving responsibilities.
Source: Improving Support for Veteran Women: Veterans' Issues in Focus | RAND