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The Invisible Female Veterans: Interview with U.S. Army MAJ Erica Courtney
The idea of the “essential women” extends from the civilian workforce into the military and veterans who have transitioned back into civilian life. In an episode of Know the Rules of the Game® Podcast for Invisible Female Veterans with host Desiree Patno, CEO & President of NAWRB, special guest Erica Courtney, President, Zulu Time, Founder, 2020vet, Inc., U.S. Army Aviation, Major NATO Gender Advisor, discussed the state of veterans and the epidemic of the “invisible female veteran,” referring to women veterans who are often overlooked and underappreciated by the society they have helped serve.
Erica is a U.S. Army veteran having served in various positions to include: military police, scout helicopter pilot and paratrooper. As a trailblazer, she was part of the first group of women to go Cavalry and the first to graduate the Advanced Armor Cavalry Course. Erica is trailblazer for many reasons, but especially for being the first to break records and transcend the status quo for women in the military. As she shared in the podcast, Erica was the
Youngest female to climb Mt. Whitney at nine years old, the tallest mountain in the continental United States, until 2019; First female to hold the University of Hawaii cadet commander for the entire year; First group of women to fly the cavalry mission in the U.S. Army, which was the last airframe in any service to allow women to fly; Unofficially wore ‘pants’ to earning of the spurs ceremony, at the time when women could only wear skirts with the dress uniform; First woman to graduate the Advanced Cavalry Armor school; and First women to lead a long-running national veteran entrepreneurship Board of Directors.
To show what it means to be an invisible female veteran, Erica shares the following poem by Sarge Lintecum to paint a picture of this concept:
“You can tell her by the twinkle in her eye, At parades when the flag marches by. She served our country and she served it very well.
Some have even served a tour or two in Hell.
She suffered hardship and never ceased to care. It gave us strength just to know that she was there. She was a leader, you could tell by the rank she wore,
But she became the invisible soldier after the war.
She can march, she can fly, and she can sail. She proved that bravery isn’t exclusive of the male.
She did every job she was asked and more, But she became the invisible soldier after the war.
Now, it is finally time to right a wrong.
Honor our sister soldier; hear her song.
It’s very clear that she’s a patriot to the core. Don’t let her be the invisible soldier anymore.”
NAWRB: What is the veteran suicide rate?
Erica Courtney (EC): U.S. service personnel and military veterans continue to take their own lives at unprecedented rates. It is an epidemic. Despite the fact that there are over 45,000 nonprofits dedicated to veterans and their families in addition to multiple billion dollar-backed government programs aimed at addressing servicemen and veteran issues, we have made little to no progress in combatting this over the last decade. We do not offer them insightful options as they leave the service besides corporate job placement and when they leave the service and transition, they are overwhelmed at ‘help’ options.
It’s our duty to change this sobering statistic: According to the 2018 Blue Star Families’ Military Family Lifestyle Survey, 82% of military families feel the general public doesn’t understand the sacrifices they make. In addition, our women veterans face additional challenges that their male counterparts do not.
We as a nation are failing our veterans-the very people who put their lives on the line to protect our national interests. Abraham Lincoln once poignantly said that if we do not take care of those who bore the battle, essentially, we are a nation without morals. Each day we lose valuable national resources in record numbers: Veterans Suicides recently surpassed combat deaths and non-combat, younger and female veterans are the most vulnerable
22: We lose 22 veterans a day due to suicide. Veterans account 22% of all suicide completions in the U.S. 65: We lose a veteran every 65 minutes due to suicide 6,000: We lose 6K veterans a year due to suicide
NAWRB: Why are female veterans invisible and what issues are unique to female military veterans? EC: Women are not the image Hollywood portrays when it comes to soldiers: big burly guys kicking down doors, rolling around in the dirt and operating high tech equipment. In the military, at least in the Army and Marines, it is about the physical. However, the military is changing in order to remain competitive in this uncertain global power competition. We need thinkers, strategists, intelligence, communicators, collaborators, technology experts—roles very well suited for women. Having a diverse Force makes us a better Force. The cultural divide is real. When women leave service, they have another societal layer attached to them that their male counterparts do not have-relearning what being ‘feminine’ means. What civilians do not realize, what women veterans often do not even realize, is that they might appear to be like other women, but they aren’t operating on the expectations traditionally applied to women. Behaving at odds with these traditional expectations is often a significant drawback in the ability of women veterans to fit-in in the workplace, in the dating world, in the female civilian community, in society in general. And directly challenging these expectations can often lead to conflict. Women veterans have reported negative experiences with civilian women, ranging from lack of understanding and inability to relate to cold shoulders. Men also do not know how to deal with a woman who is so direct, lacks emotion and does not have time for bias as there was a mission to accomplish. Lives may have been on the line. In a 2015 study on how female veterans cope with transition, one participant said: “When I first got out of the military, I had a hard time with [women], civilian women. They didn’t understand why I looked so militant. ‘Why do you walk straight up? Why do you walk and direct so?’” Operating in male-dominated environments and doing traditionally male activities, up to and including combat, are so different from the experiences of civilian women that the two sides often cannot relate. Moreover, the behaviors—male behaviors—that women veterans learned were correct in the military are now at odds with the expectations civilians have for women. Instead of helping them fit in, these same behaviors now make them stand out, often in ways that make other people uncomfortable. Women are often denied recognition for their military accomplishments. In a 2016 Service Women’s Action Network survey, 74 percent of the respondents said that the general public did not recognize their service. They are generally thought of as a military brat or spouse. This kind of exchange, where a woman’s connection to the military is assumed to be earned by another, most likely male, individual can be insulting and disheartening to a woman who has served. This means that women, both during and after service, are likely to find being a woman inconvenient for some time to come. "Society often gives the job to the male veteran over a female veteran as they are seen as more of a ‘soldier’ despite the fact that women are increasingly in combat roles."
Many studies point to the fact that women do not self-identify as a veteran, even if they had combat time, which is another problem. Women often start businesses, the fastest-growing segment in entrepreneurship, out of necessity because they cannot find work. Society often gives the job to the male veteran over a female veteran as they are seen as more of a ‘soldier’ despite the fact that women are increasingly in combat roles. In addition to the cultural bias women veterans face, they often have much higher rates of mental and physical health issues over their male counterparts.
NAWRB: When you say they are suffering more, what do you mean in terms of numbers?
20% of men, verses 30% of women veterans are diagnosed with a mental health disorder.
EC: Compared to men, women veterans are more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health disorder (31 percent versus 20 percent). Women veterans are significantly more likely to have a diagnosis of depression, PTSD, other anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder and some personality disorders. Women veterans having a mental health diagnosis are significantly more likely to have: STD, UTI, pelvic/ genital pain condition, sexual dysfunction and reproductive health problems. Their unemployment and suicide rates are at an epidemic high, they generally have family to care for, are less likely to win contracts, have higher rates of homelessness, are less likely to ask for loans, deal with a lack VA mental and physical health care addressing women’s needs, and the cultural challenge of going from a soldier to what society somewhat expects appropriate behavior to be as a female. They may become entrepreneurs by necessity as they face unusually high unemployment rates of 11.1 percent compared to 7.1 percent for other women. Younger women veterans face a rate of 35.4 percent. They are more likely to have family to take care of and have a harder time translating their military experience into civilian speak. Even if they were combat arms, males are often seen as warriors and women veterans regularly do not self-identify as a veteran. Then there are factors like the lack of access to capital women face as a whole, and are 21 percent less likely than males to win government contracts. A recent report revealed that women are less likely to ask for business loans out of fear of being denied, even though their financial profiles are often better than their male counterparts. Women veterans are three times as likely to experience homelessness and poverty over non-veteran women. They suffer higher rates of PTSD and depression over their male veteran counterparts but less substance abuse. According to the VA, women veterans die by suicide at six times the rate of non-veteran women. Younger women veterans are at higher risk at 12 times the rate of non-veteran women. Compare this to male veterans who have twice the rate of suicide over non-veteran males. It is an epidemic. While only constituting 15 percent of the military, women account for 95 percent of reported sex crime victims, which is considered seriously underreported due to retribution. From 2005 to 2015, the number of women veterans using VA health care increased 46.4 percent, from 237,952 to 455,875. The changing demographics of the women entering, and ultimately leaving, the Armed Forces have an impact on the kinds of services they will require in the future. As more and more women move into the ranks of veterans, it becomes important to investigate their post-military outcomes. There is a lack of data related to women veterans. Their health issues are different than men. They are slowly being diagnosed with pelvic floor disorders like UTIs, descent of the bladder, uterus and rectum as a result of the weakening of the muscles and connective tissue due to longterm strenuous military activity and high impact exposures. Young women veterans have an unemployment rate of 35.4%
Although women were technically barred from serving in combat, since Operation Desert Storm, women have been deployed to forward positions in greater numbers. This increased involvement in combat zones and the associated risk from exposure to trauma, injury, intense training and environmental hazards present new health consequences for women that must be addressed for both actively serving women and female veterans. Considering that the female segment of the military continues to increase, female veterans' health must be situated at the forefront of the biomedical research and health policy agendas. Biomedical research in veterans that incorporates the study of sex and gender differences will translate to better health outcomes for female veterans. A one-size-fitsall approach is not working. Gear, backpacks for example, has been finally modified as weight rested on women’s hips can cause many of the problems they currently encounter; whereas in men, the weight was more concentrated on the back. Looking at dosages of shots, medicines, et cetera, should be taken into account. Just as in civilian medical care, more research is needed to properly address prevention and treatment. NAWRB: Now that we are aware of the issues, can you tell us what works? Once they get past the statistical ‘cliff,’ what do veterans really need from your first-hand experience as a veteran and advocate? crease every year although much isn’t even spent. Leaders at the executive, congressional and Pentagon know this is an epidemic and they will tell you they just don’t know why this is happening. Military generals are often cited that this is the toughest enemy they faced in their entire career. The VA and others are asking for private help to address these issues in a meaningful way. Generally, it is a three-year process. The military does not do a good job preparing you in a meaningful way upon exit. You lose your identity, your culture, your ‘family.’ You feel disconnected, misunderstood and lonely. Unlike wars past, there are not huge numbers getting out at once and that peer-peer camaraderie is solely missing. Over half of veterans do not return to the place they grew up, so they desperately want to make connections and develop relationships. They lack community. They may turn to one of more than 45,000 veterans organizations dedicated to them or their families and get even more overwhelmed. We are throwing money at the problem year over year but we continue to approach it wrong with white coats and even more government programs.
What we need is a holistic, grassroots approach focused
on four elements: connection, shelter, career development, and health: mental, physical and spiritual. We should triage our veterans focusing on personal, professional and rehabilitation needs, not pass them around.
ey management, family counseling, housing assistance, benefit/claims assistance, bereavement); (2) Professional (education, job training, entrepreneurship); and (3) Rehabilitation (Suicide, PTSD, readjustment, depression, substance abuse, traumatic brain disorder, anger management) through the power of peer counseling and a one-stop-shop technology hub that can be customized for each veteran.
Veterans are national gems and if they get through the first three years, they will come out as strong citizens. They do not want handouts. They want purpose and connections. They want access to capital and mentorship. If we help our veterans in a meaningful way, they add to the economy instead of drawing from it. It reduces the country's social burden. The last thing a veteran wants to be is a burden.
Meaning and connection are central to mental health. Having them can build optimism and reduce depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. Peer-peer support is essential to give them straight talk from people they inherently trust and understand what they are going through. Veterans are more likely than similar civilians to volunteer more hours, to vote consistently and to serve in civic organizations, according to a LA Times report recently released that advocates hope will counteract the perception of veterans as “broken heroes.”
For years, veterans and organizations have been working to make sure veterans are perceived as leaders and assets. There is empirical evidence and not just theory. The statement that veterans are civic assets is no longer an opinion; it’s a fact, and it’s backed up by data. In addition to volunteering more hours annually — 160 for an average veteran volunteer compared with 120 for a civilian — veterans are more likely to trust most of their neighbors, the report found. Veterans also are more likely to vote in local elections, contact their public officials and discuss politics frequently with families and friends. Female veterans are running and winning office like never before, overcoming the bias that women are not strong enough for politics. That desire to be part of a team again, the desire to have a new unit after you leave your active-duty unit, is very strong. Veterans also are two times as likely to be successful in business in terms of length opened and revenue earned thanks to the skills they learned while serving. They have also been found to significantly add to a company’s bottom line due to their mission focused and teamwork mentality.
