Why women veterans need more recognition

WOMEN ARE VETERANS, TOO!

State advisory committee works toward equitable access, changing perception

By Tzena M. Scarborough

WOMEN VETERANS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Last month you read two great articles in this section: “What is a Veteran?” and “Thanks to all the veterans.” One type of veteran that was overlooked, however, is the woman veteran. You may say, “of course women are serving in the Armed Forces, so they are veterans.”

But not every woman veteran identifies as a “veteran.”

For many years when the term “veteran” has been used in reference to a former member of the Armed Forces, our mind may think of Marines in the Battle of Iwo Jima, Marines freezing in the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea, or Army grunts wading through rice paddies in Vietnam. These pictures that we most see of veterans today are old men from those eras.

Until recently, a woman veteran’s service has not been widely recognized in the media, in veteran organizations or our communities. Yet they have volunteered and served in our Armed Forces, and it is time for them to be recognized!

There has been an increased effort in reaching out to women veterans by service officers, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other veterans. Instead of asking a woman if she is a “veteran,” they ask if she served in the Armed Forces of the United States… then they respond in the affirmative, that they served.

With the number of women veterans increasing, there is a great need to reach out to those women who have served to make sure that they get the veteran benefits that they have earned.

To address the needs of women veterans the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs created the Women Veterans Advisory Committee over 10 years ago. They have held yearly women veteran summits for women to gather from across the state to learn about their benefits and get connected.

The mission of the WDVA Women Veterans Advisory Committee shall be to ensure that Washington's women veterans have equitable access to federal and state veterans' services and benefits, along with: • Connect women to their identity as veterans. • Change the public perception of what veterans look like. • Connect women veterans to benefits. • Connect women veterans to community. You can read more about it on our website: www.dva. wa.gov/councils-committees/ women-veterans

Many women veterans in Washington have never heard of the WVAC. We are here to assist. To learn more please contact me, Tzena M. Scarborough, WVAC Eastern Washington Representative; at (509) 8918588 or ladyveterans@comcast. net. Or call the WDVA state office: Liza Narciso, (360) 7252157, Lisan@dva.wa.gov

Education is needed to honor these women who have volunteered to serve. So, when you see a woman parking at the Home Depot parking spot that says ‘Reserved for Veterans,’ don’t yell at them and tell them they can’t park there because they aren’t veterans! Thank you! Tzena M. Scarborough is a U.S. Army veteran, Women’s Army Corps WAC, Cold War Veteran, 1976-1983. She serves as an American Legion Post 241 service officer and assists veterans and families to connect to their benefits in the Spokane area.