WASHINGTON — An Arkansas veteran was part of a recent push urging Congress to consider legislation to improve healthcare for women veterans.
The Wounded Warrior Project, a national nonprofit organization focused on veterans issues, held its Women Warriors Summit in late September. More than 100 advocates traveled to Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers about the needs of women veterans and public policy to support this growing demographic.
Ashley Trevino, of Sherwood, was among the advocates in Washington. Trevino served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force for four years, earning the rank of senior airman before her medical retirement in 2022 following the coronavirus pandemic.
“I was doing 12-hour shifts in radiology when the COVID pandemic was going on,” she said. “It was easier to potentially identify if people had COVID by doing chest X-rays.”
Speaking with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Trevino recalled feeling “very lost in my identity” after separating from the military. She said she was searching for a purpose when she discovered the Wounded Warrior Project and its local peer support events.
“I realized I found my group of people that challenged me, saw my potential and growth, and helped me heal and become the best possible version of myself,” said Trevino, who is now a warrior advocate leader with the Wounded Warrior Project.
“I realized I had a passion for helping advocate for other veterans and service members, and helping them get plugged into resources to empower and help themselves be the best person that they can.”
According to Department of Veterans Affairs statistics, the percentage of women veterans will grow from 11.4% in September 2023 to 17.1% in September 2043. Trevino said women veterans, however, struggle with holding their military duty in high regard.
“They may not have been deployed or felt like what they did was some huge service,” she said. “They’re not giving themselves enough credit for their accomplishments or what they went through.”
Three legislative proposals were at the center of the Women Warriors Summit. The Veterans’ Outcomes, Inclusion, Care, and Experience for Women Veterans Act calls for updating the Department of Veterans Affairs’ annual report on women veterans, prioritizing additional data collection so the agency can better address healthcare needs.
The Mammography Access for Veterans Act would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand its telescreening mammogram program to states where veterans do not currently have a full-service option.
The summit also focused on the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, a sweeping legislative proposal addressing healthcare and other services for veterans. The bill calls for improving support for people who experienced military sexual trauma, boosting research on menopause and perimenopause, and increasing lactation spaces at Veterans Affairs medical centers.
Members of the Arkansas congressional delegation have connections to these bills. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., introduced the Veterans’ Outcomes, Inclusion, Care, and Experience for Women Veterans Act in September with Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a veteran who lost both of her legs in the Iraq War.
“Women veterans have made tremendous sacrifices in service to our nation, and they deserve access to the quality care and resources they have earned,” Boozman said in a release.
“As we look to improve the quality of care for women veterans in Arkansas and across the country, we must ensure the VA gathers the data and information necessary to identify gaps, address challenges and improve health outcomes,” the Rogers senator continued. “This bipartisan legislation will help strengthen accountability and ensure women veterans receive the care and support they are owed.”
Boozman is also sponsoring the Senate versions of the Mammography Access for Veterans Act and the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., has signed his name onto the House of Representatives’ version of the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act.
Senators and House members remain away from Washington as lawmakers prepare for the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Lawmakers will return to Capitol Hill on Nov. 9 for five scheduled weeks of legislative business before the holidays.
Original source: us