Why are women less likely to self-identify as veterans than their male counterparts? This complex question does not have a one-size-fits-all answer; the causes for a lack of veteran self-identity lie in historical, social, and cultural factors. Here is a snapshot of what we do know and you can use this to draw your own conclusions:
Did you know?
In 2014, there were 200,692 women in the Active component of the U.S. Armed Forces and 156,180 women in the Reserve and National Guard, representing 16.5% of the total military force.
In 2015, women made up 9.4 percent of the Veteran population, with an expected increase to 16.3 percent by the year 2042.4
Per a group of women veterans, brought together to determine some of the reasons women veterans are less likely to self-identify as veterans, it was determined that women who retire from the military are more likely to identify as a veteran versus those that served one or more enlistments before getting out. These women also found these additional elements correlated with a lack of veteran self-identity:
Those that became a dependent after getting out
Those that did not serve in combat
Those that have experienced trauma through combat or sexual assault
After military separation, being a veteran became just another “title,” such as mother, wife, daughter, professional, etc.
Women have been formally serving in the US Armed Forces since 1901, yet politicians, media, and the American public generally overlooked their influence until the 1970s, rendering them the “invisible veterans.” By the early 1980s, female veterans were finally receiving recognition they had earned for their service through laws that granted them Veteran status; however, like many government reforms, it still took years for adequate services to be available and the VA to grasp a better understanding of the unique needs for women veterans. For example, a 1985 VA study found that 57% of eligible women veterans did not even know they were entitled to VA care; additionally, the VA was not providing basic services such as gynecological care for female veterans until much later. It was not until 2008 that VA began a 5-year plan to redesign their health care delivery system; the result: women veterans eventually had access to skilled providers who understood their needs.
Traditionally, women in American society (and in many cultures, globally) were homemakers, with responsibilities to care for the house and children. Those who served were outliers, and despite social norms changing drastically over the last few decades, women still make up only a small percentage of the armed forces.
The military has always been a strong proponent of tradition and heritage, hence customs which continue today, such as the gifting of a coin, the first salute upon commissioning, the regalia worn, etc. Though this has many positive attributes, strongly held traditional values may have negative side effects. Many concerns women faced when joining the military back in the early to mid-1900s are not much different from what women face today: women are often stereotyped as being “loose” or “lesbian”, and often questioned about their military career, how they “really served” if they had not deployed in a hazardous/combat location.
These issues – negative and erroneous stereotyping, segregation, disregard, and discrediting – have led to women veterans becoming “invisible” as they ease into civilian careers without disclosing their service to a country that does not know how many of them truly exist. What is not anonymous, however, is the number of suicides on the rise within the female veteran population.
“From 2001 through 2014, the suicide rate among women Veterans increased to a greater degree (62.4 percent) than the suicide rate among male Veterans (29.7 percent).”
The factors of suicide are many, and to equate this with a single issue would be both detrimental and degrading; however, it is feasible that these suicide rates are linked to the many issues women face during and after their service.
If you are a woman veteran, we thank you for your service and encourage you to contact the Montgomery County Veteran’s Coalition to find out more about your veteran status and services available to you: (931) 553-5173. If you know a woman veteran, thank her for her sacrifice and share this article with her.
References:
Department of Defense, 2014 Demographics, Profile of the Military Community (Washington, DC: Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, 2014)
The Projection Model (VetPop2014) is the official source of Veteran population projections from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VetPop2014 estimates the Veteran population and its characteristics from FY2003 Veteran Population through FY2013, and forecasts the population for FY2014 through FY2043. It uses data from VA, Department of Defense, and the U.S. Census Bureau as inputs to forecast the Veteran population through the planning horizon. More information is available at: http://www. va.gov/vetdata/Veteran_Population.asp
https://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/SpecialReports/Women_Veterans_2015_Final.pdf