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 You may remember the
posting of Special Video's : All Women Combat Helicopter
Crew.
Now the rest of the story!
BASE, IRAQ — On Christmas Day 2007, a little less than
a month ago, the 2-147th Assault Helicopter Battalion, based in Minnesota, flew a historic
Blackhawk mission under combat conditions into, and around, Baghdad.
The mission had the sense of history about it because every soldier in the two Blackhawks
all four pilots, all four door-gunners was female. The two major briefings for the
mission, by the S2 (intelligence) and S3 (operations), were also done by women.
Chief Warrant Officer Teresa Burgess of Olympia, Wash., was the air mission commander.
That put her in charge of the overall mission and in one of the four pilots’ seats.
“It was fun,” said the veteran pilot. “We never had a chance to do that
before – eight women on two aircraft. Pretty neat.”
MORE:
Christmas mission’s flight crews make history!
VA Travel Nurse Corps
Travel, adventure and health care are all part of a VA nurse employment opportunity called
the VA Travel Nurse Corps. Now you can be a travel nurse and a VA federal employee!
This exciting new program establishes an internal pool of
registered nurses (RNs) who can be available for temporary, short-term assignments at VA
medical centers throughout the country. The VA Travel Nurse Corps meets nurses’ needs
for travel and flexibility while meeting VA medical center needs for temporary top quality
nurses! VA medical centers are located in every state around the country.
The Travel Nurse Corps is an opportunity to provide quality
nursing care to the nation’s veterans in state of the art health care facilities
while seeing the United States. To learn more about the VA Travel Nurse Corps, send an
email to TravelNurse@va.gov. To start the
application process, fax your resume to (602) 200-2391 or call toll free (866) 664-1030 or
in Phoenix (602) 200-2398 . We will respond to you promptly within 24-48 hours!
http://www.travelnurse.va.gov/
 Women's
Army Corps
Why Women Stay in the Military.
Snapshots
of Women in the Military Service
VA Programs for Women Veterans
VA PROGRAMS FOR WOMEN VETERANS
VA has responded to the growing number of women veterans by targeting programs to meet
their unique health-care needs. A Veterans Health Administration office to address women's
health issues was first created in 1988.
Public Law 102-585, Veterans Health Care Act of 1992, authorized new and expanded services
for women veterans, including counseling for sexual trauma on a priority basis; specific
health services for women, such as Pap smears, mammography, and general reproductive
health care (including birth control and treatment of menopause) at many VA medical
facilities.
The Veterans’ Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996 expanded services further to
include maternity and infertility benefits. In fiscal year 1997, the Under Secretary for
Health appointed the first full-time Director for the Women Veterans Health Program. The
program provides a comprehensive system of cost-effective medical and psychosocial
services for women.
This Women Veterans Health Program has as its mission to promote the health, welfare and
dignity of women veterans, and their families, by ensuring equitable access to timely,
sensitive and quality health care.
MENTAL HEALTH AND SEXUAL ABUSE COUNSELING
VA is committed to assist women veterans with a wide range of mental health and
psychosocial services. The services include sexual trauma counseling, substance abuse
treatment, and evaluation and treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which
includes women veterans Stress Disorder Treatment Teams. In addition, there are programs
for homeless women veterans, victims of domestic violence, and Vocational Rehabilitation.
Public Law 102-585 in 1992 authorized VA to include outreach and counseling services for
women veterans who experienced incidents of sexual trauma while serving on active duty in
the military. The law was later amended and authorized VA to provide counseling to men as
well as women. The Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act of 1999 extended the
provision of counseling and treatment services to veterans who have experienced military
sexual trauma through December 31, 2004.
Women veterans seeking assistance may call 1-800-827-1000 for referral to a trained sexual
trauma counselor. In addition, every VA Medical Center has a Women Veterans Program
Manager who is available to assist women veterans. Women veterans interested in receiving
care at the VA are encouraged to contact the nearest VA Medical Center and ask for the
Women Veterans Program Manager.
MEDICAL SERVICES FOR WOMEN VETERANS
As part of VA’s continuum of health care services, women veterans receive preventive
health attention. Unless contrary to medical indications, each woman veteran receiving VA
care will be offered regular Pap smears and mammograms. In addition to preventive
services, the high quality medical services available to women veterans include primary
care, gender-specific care, reproductive health care, and evaluation and treatment for
osteoporosis. In 1999, the uniform benefits package included a maternity care benefit for
women veterans as well as infertility evaluation and limited treatment. Special
initiatives include Women Veterans Comprehensive Health Centers and Clinical Programs of
Excellence.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
VA is the largest health care system providing education and training to health
professionals. The Women Veterans Health Program aims to enhance the equity and quality of
health care for women veterans and to promote information exchange and training of
health-care providers to meet the health needs of women veterans more comprehensively.
Training methodologies include Women’s Health Fellowship Programs, Resident training,
Allied Health academic training, video/satellite training, clinical updates in
contemporary women’s health issues, mini-residencies, sensitivity training and
customer service.
RESEARCH
Since May 1991, VA policy has required that all applicants for VA research funding must
consider and document the inclusion of women in proposed studies. Current women veterans
research initiatives include aging, breast and other cancers, chronic diseases,
reproductive health, mental health, substance abuse, and women’s health services and
systems.
COMPENSATION FOR WOMEN VETERANS
VBA has assigned Women Veterans Coordinators in all VA Regional Offices to assist women
veterans with development of claims. These coordinators have been trained to assist in
handling claims for gender-specific conditions and claims based on sexual trauma.
Regional office staffs make women who file claims based on sexual trauma fully aware that
they can receive priority care for personal trauma counseling at a VA Medical Center even
if they do not have a VA disability rating. For more information, call 1-800-827-1000.
NATIONAL CEMETERY ADMINISTRATION
Women veterans discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces under conditions other than
dishonorable are eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery. For more information, call
1-800-827-1000 and speak with a Veterans Benefits Counselor.
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS
The estimated population of women veterans as of 2001 was 1.6 million, or about 7.2
percent of the total veteran population. 10.26% of the 22.8 million veterans who use VA
for healthcare are women. Currently, women make up 14.8 percent of the active duty
military force and approximately 22.8 percent of the reserve force. By 2010, they are
expected to represent over 14 percent of the total veteran population. Fifty-six percent
of women veterans who use VA are less than 45 years of age. Sixty-two percent of women
veterans are less than 45 years of age.
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