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First, I’d like to thank Susan Feland and her team of amazing volunteers who have done a tremendous job in building a meaningful, relevant, and inspiring organization. It is Susan who motivated my actions which follow.
When I presented for the first AcademyWomen Symposium in 2004, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was delighted by the content of the symposium and the women who attended. Over the years, AcademyWomen’s efforts continue to inspire me. Desiring to learn more about our two million women vets, I applied to serve on the VA’s Advisory Committee on Women Veterans (ACWV) which has opened my eyes to the health and benefits issues women veterans experience, particularly those fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. However, I was also surprised to learn that even women veterans from WWII through the Vietnam War era are either misinformed or unaware of their VA entitlements. Some, particularly Vietnam era vets “went into hiding” because of their mistreatment in the past. It’s distressing when I hear about women vets who were told they were ineligible and have been struggling for years with health issues. They paved the way for our entry into the service academies and deserve their place in history. You’d be pleased to know that many women vets from previous eras would have continued to serve if they hadn’t been given a “service connected disability” and told to leave after they became pregnant. Some left when they were told their civilian husbands were ineligible for commissary/PX or on-base hospital privileges because they couldn’t be their wives’ “dependents”. We’ve come a long way, but their stories are poignant nonetheless and we can never forget where we came from since inequities still exist. Now women vets from the current conflict are struggling with physical, mental, emotional and spiritual injuries and are transitioning to civilian work environments which may not embrace them. Our enlisted sisters need our help as well.
In January, I considered the possibility of creating an organization that connects women veterans from all eras, services, ranks, experiences and geographies. Although fantastic women veterans organizations like the WACs, WAVES, Women Marines Association, and AcademyWomen exist already, few unite all women veterans through technological means. My dream is to craft a global online community of women veterans for mutual camaraderie, networking, mentoring and support.
With the help of a local women’s giving circle (non-veterans) and our county Women’s Resource Center, we held a “Thank You to Women Veterans” meeting in May. Since then, the Women Veterans Network stays connected through a simple email newsletter and runs monthly meetings sharing information on VA healthcare and benefits, career and job search techniques, stress management, and stories about our service experiences. We’ve partnered with the Bay Pines VA Women Veterans Program Manager (WVPM) and the VA Benefits regional Women Veterans Coordinator (WVC) to get speakers on timely topics. Service projects are in the works including interviews and presentations for school history projects, our community Stand Down for homeless vets and fundraising events.
The Women Veterans Network continues to evolve with over 80 members from multiple services, war eras, ranks, and geographies. We also welcome women serving on AD, in the Reserves or NG. We’re sparking spin offs in North Carolina and other parts of Florida. I’m considering the option of structuring the Women Veterans Network as a nonprofit. In the mean time, I’m forming an Advisory Board to refine our mission and vision and to identify relevant programs useful for women veterans. If you are interested in giving or getting ideas, joining the Women Veterans Network email list serve, or participating as a member of the Advisory Board, please contact me at cszelwac@tampabay.rr.com or call 941-795-0928 or 941-545-6383 (cell). For more information about the VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans, refer to http://www1.va.gov/womenvet/page.cfm?pg=67 and review the reports index.
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