Celebrate “Women Veterans Day” on
Veterans Day, November 11, 2010
Over the past 15 months The Foundation has had the distinct honor of getting to know and work closely with some of the country’s most extraordinary, phenomenal women — they are, America’s Women Veterans.
Last Spring, The Healthy Caregiver Foundation was invited to collaborate on a special project for Homeless Women Veterans. We have facilitated many displaced, underserved, immigrant or otherwise special interest groups many times before but admittedly, this would be our first tour of duty serving on a major women veterans initiative.
We were initially engaged to serve as independent facilitators for a series of community based “listening sessions” with women veterans and with service providers who provide a broad range of supportive services to women veterans.
As a neutral, independent observer, I was immediately struck by the perplexing balance of strength and vulnerability that nearly every women veteran we encountered possessed. During my first tour of duty on this unique Homeless Women Veterans Initiative I became forever changed by these brave, yet wounded, women warriors.
The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs reports there are 1.8 million women veterans in America. These women veterans are an average of 47 years old and the top three reported health issues among women veterans are: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Hypertension and Depression. Women veterans are one of the fastest growing segments of America’s veteran population. The Veteran Administration estimates that women veterans will constitute more that 10% of all America’s veteran population by 2020.
Over the months, my role as project manager of this women veterans initiative evolved. Both my perspective and understanding of the lives of women veterans also began to expand and I gained greater clarity of the troubles and triumphs of America’s Women Veterans.
When I started this project I thought I didn’t know much about women veterans. As time passed by, I came to realize that I was wrong. I was really wrong! I do know these women warriors. I was not only wrong, I was blinded by my own sense of womanhood, independence and place of acceptance in various circles of … “I am woman hear me roar.”
Well, … you know them too. America’s Women Veterans are our sisters, our neighbors, old class mates, former college buddies, car pool moms, school crossing guards, Sunday school teachers, family doctors, store cashiers, your best friend in the world OR, … the homeless woman who thinks she has no one left in the world to help her.
Ladies, it is time to step out of the security of our sororities, professional organizations, church groups, birthday clubs, dance troops, exercise teams, and other like circles of sisterhood to link our arms together as Women in support of America’s Women Veterans.
Join the “Women Veterans Day Celebration” on November 11, 2010. Go to www.WomenVeteransRock.org to register for this national Virtual Rally & Celebration of Women Supporting America’s Women Veterans.
Let’s link together and put a “female face” on Women Veterans Day celebrations!
Deborah Harmon-Pugh
President & Editor-In-Chief
