News
Rethinking Prosthetics for Female Veterans
Tuesday, June 16, 2015 | Category: Prosthetics - National
There are many prosthetic designs in the market, but many of them are unisex and cannot always fulfill needs specific to women. Andrea Ippolito (Department of Veterans Affairs fellow), Dara Dotz (works 3-D imaging and STEM), and Heather Irvine (Marketing and Creative Director at the The Ipsos Girls’ Lounge) are teaming up and hope to bring more attention to their cause and help female veterans.
Prosthetics with pizazz for female veterans spotlighted at D.C. festival
Friday, June 12, 2015 | Category: Prosthetics - National
There are women in combat who are coming back injured and a greater percentage, 6 percent, of female service members suffered such injuries in non-battle situations. Female amputees have a very difficult time finding artificial limbs that fit their smaller bodies, including narrower shoulders and wider hips. There are partnerships between industry and the Department of Veterans Affairs focused on manufacturing female-friendly prosthetics that are designed for more healthy living and will help them "step out in style."
VA May Be Saving Veterans From Suicide
Thursday, June 11, 2015 | Category: Suicide - National
A VA study found that women veterans commit suicide at nearly six times the rate of other women. Also noted was that veterans enrolled in VA care, had lower rates of suicide. Women veteran rates, across all generations, remained elevated whereas rates for male veterans were elevated only for those under 50 years old.
Women in Combat, Immigration Profiled in Reservist's Film
Monday, June 1, 2015 | Category: History/Heritage - National
Army Reserve Capt. Rebecca Murga's new short film, "American Girl," tells the story of women in combat ranks. Murga, a filmmaker, photographer and writer, follows a young woman's experience in becoming a soldier who eventually serves in Afghanistan.
A Band of Sisters on the Special Ops Battlefield
Wednesday, May 27, 2015 | Category: History/Heritage - National
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon,a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of the New York Times best seller, discusses her book "Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield," In 2011, women served on night raids alongside American and Afghan special operations fighters while the ban on women in ground combat remained effective. Lt. White, on her nation's behalf, faced a selection process aimed at finding the most elite women soldiers for some of America's most important and dangerous wartime missions. Few in the nation knew this.
Honoring Women in the Military
Wednesday, May 27, 2015 | Category: History/Heritage - Florida
Captain Nori Ann Reed of Sanibel was the first woman assigned onboard Navy ships, and later was the first woman to have the honor of being Captain of three Navy ships. Colonel Catherine Scott entered the US Air Force in 1974 and was the first woman to command an Air Force ROTC unit in the US.
Lt. Col. Says Speaking Up About Assault Hurt Her Career
Tuesday, May 26, 2015 | Category: Sexual Harassment/Assault/Trauma - West Virginia
Lt. Col. Teresa James of the West Virginia Army National Guard will be medically retired after 35 years in the Guard. She believes she is being retaliated against after reporting a 2006 rape by a senior officer.
Military Families Turn to Food Stamps
Monday, May 25, 2015 | Category: Finances - National
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) publishes an annual report about where Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food stamps are being spent. That list includes military commissaries. More than $84 million-worth of food stamp benefits were spent at military commissaries n 2014. USDA estimates between 2,000 to 22,000 (1-2%) military members and 1.5 million (7%) veterans (2012 data) use food stamp benefits
Percentage of Women Veterans Increases
Sunday, May 24, 2015 | Category: Department of Agriculture - National
According to the Economic Research Service, the percentage of rural veterans who are women has more than doubled since the First Gulf War. Most women veterans in rural America fall into younger age groups as the male veteran population continues to age.
Women Describe Their Struggles With Gender Roles in Military
Sunday, May 24, 2015 | Category: Department of Defense - National
More than 150 women with military service responded to The New York Times 2014 request to share their experiences in the military. A selection of their quotes are shared in this article.