News
Minnesota Guardsmen Receive Engaging Presentation on Sexual Assault, Culture Change
Tuesday, November 17, 2015 | Category: Sexual Harassment/Assault/Trauma - Minnesota
More than 400 full-time Minnesota National Guard soldiers and airmen attended a presentation by Mr. Russel W. Strand about the prevalence of sexual assault in the military and throughout the nation and how to foster a new culture that blames the perpetrator, not the victim. Mr. Strand is the current chief of the U.S. Army Military Police School Behavioral Sciences Education and Training Division, with specialized expertise, experience, and training in the area of domestic violence intervention, critical incident peer support and sexual assault.
Pentagon Lacking on Sex Assault Prevention, Report Says
Monday, November 16, 2015 | Category: Sexual Harassment/Assault/Trauma - National
The Government Accounting Office (GAO) report 16-61 released in November 2015, stated that the Pentagon's sexual assault prevention strategy is ineffective. The GAO "says the Department of Defense has failed to: identify risk factors that “promote sexual violence” in the military community and in military leadership; communicate the strategy to military bases to ensure consistency among armed services prevention programs; and undertake methods to measure whether the strategy is working and whether changes are needed."
Designing Prosthetics That Give Female Veterans Confidence
Wednesday, November 11, 2015 | Category: Prosthetics - National
The Girls' Lounge is partnering with the Voices of Veterans Tour aims to bring visibility to the needs of female veterans, and "how the integration of technology to develop personalized and customized prosthetics is essential to the acceptance of their new normal." Most prosthetics are geared for men, so they are trying to reimagine prosthetics for better fit and to personalize them to help women feel confident and beautiful.
"Prosthetics Ink" Sponsors First Female Veteran
Wednesday, November 11, 2015 | Category: Prosthetics - National
"Prosthetics Ink" sponsored their first female veteran, making her a "Pink Chrome" prosthesis. They are working with "The Girls' Lounge" to enhance the lives of female veteran amputees as part of the Department of Veterans Affairs "Innovation of Creations Challenge."
Focus on Female Veterans in “I’m One” Campaign
Wednesday, November 11, 2015 | Category: Health Care - National
The VA’s Women’s Heath Services “I’m One” campaign intends to raise awareness of VA benefits available for female veterans. A recent study indicated that only 37 percent of female veterans felt recognized, respected and valued in civilian life. Today, women account for 8 percent of all U.S. military veterans. Over 280,000 women served in Afghanistan or Iraq since Sept. 11, 2001. Women account for 20 percent of new recruits, 14.5 percent of the active duty force, and 18 percent of the reserve force.
Salt City Women Veterans Share Military Sservice and Sense of Community
Tuesday, November 10, 2015 | Category: History/Heritage - New York
Salt City Women Veterans began over 25 years ago as the Salt City Blues. Women veterans gather in camaraderie and share experiences. The community is an alternative to all-male veteran service organizations.
Female Veterans Write Their War Stories
Tuesday, November 10, 2015 | Category: History/Heritage - Idaho
Women Veterans' Memoirs: A Writing Workshop has brought women veterans together to share their "war stories" and learn how to put those stories into words on paper. It's a free workshop that meets twice a month through March. The best work from each veteran will be published in a book by the Writers Center and in May, they'll participate in a public reading. A Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation grant funded the program.
NYC Mayor's ofice of Veterans' Affairs and Department of Cultural Affairs Announce New Artist Residency at the Harlem Vet Center
Monday, November 9, 2015 | Category: Arts - New York
The Social Design Collective will engage women veterans at the Harlem Vet Center in art interventions that will connect them to the Vet Center's services and resources. Social Design Collective's residency is supported by both private funding from the David Rockefeller Fund through the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and public funding from the Department of Cultural Affairs. Understanding that women veterans less often access earned benefits, the SDC will focus on engaging women veterans with vital services through creative programming. SDC, an art and design collaborative founded and led by Jules Rochielle Sievert, was selected through an open, competitive call for artists. For more than 10 years, Jules’ has connected art, performance, social justice, collective art practice, and applied design to build enduring community partnerships and networks. Jules has worked directly with veterans through the Northeastern University School of Law's NuLawLab,
7 Women Veterans Honored by DAR
Monday, November 9, 2015 | Category: History/Heritage - Michigan
The Abiel Fellows and Amos Sturgis chapters of DAR have honored women veterans in November around Veterans Day since 2001. They hosted their annual tea in Centreville, honoring seven women veterans who served in different eras. They shared their diverse military experiences and recognized how each others' successful service paved the way for women to serve in the future.
Homeless Wounded Women Warriors
Sunday, November 8, 2015 | Category: Housing/Experiencing Homelessness - National
Author David Walker takes an unabashed look at who is eligible to serve in the military, why so many are not qualified, and notes that less than 1% are serving in the U.S. military. His words: "We can only thank God so many women are picking up the slack. Were it not for women, all of the services would be short-handed." Mr. Walker then discusses homelessness amongst women veterans. The Washington Times contributed more than $60,000 for the "Female Veterans With Children Transitional Housing Facility" in Washington, D.C. There are two houses. One houses six veterans and the other 13 female veterans with children.