WDVA: Nominations sought for Wisconsin Woman Veteran of the Year Award

(MADISON) – The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) is seeking nominations for the
fifth annual Wisconsin Woman Veteran of the Year Award. The award will be presented during the Women
Veterans Conference being held September 23-25 at Fort McCoy.

As part of WDVA’s ongoing commitment to women veterans, the award recognizes women veterans who have
compiled a record of exemplary service as a military service member, a veteran, and an outstanding member of
the community.

The 2010 award recipient was Jessica Maple of Mosinee, who has served her country for 14 years in the
Air Force and Air National Guard and still serves today. She has supported three major deployments and
several military training and professional development events in recent years. Maple served twice supporting
Operation Enduring Freedom. She took time while deployed and volunteered at several base Fallen Warrior
ceremonies. She has also been selected as the senior NCO of the Year for the Air National Guard.

Nominations will be accepted from any Wisconsin resident, veteran, County Veterans Service Officer or
veterans service organization or group. Nominations may be submitted at any time during the year for the
annual award. Completed nomination forms for the 2011 award must be received no later than August 31.

Forms must be submitted in writing, with a narrative not to exceed 500 words, explaining why the veteran is
being nominated for the award. Those nominations not selected may be retained for future award consideration.

Nomination forms are available online at www.WisVets.com/Forms under “brochures” (WDVA B0218) or can
be mailed to those who call to request it by calling toll-free at 1-800-WIS-VETS (947-8387) and asking for the
Women Veterans Coordinator.

To see more information about the award to include the previous recipient, visit www.WisVets.com/WomenVets.
For more information on WDVA programs and services please see www.WisVets.com.

VA Creates Women Veterans Call Center -- Major Outreach Effort Launched

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 07, 2011

VA Creates Women Veterans Call Center -- Major Outreach Effort Launched

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has embarked on a major initiative to reach out to women Veterans in order to solicit their input on ways to enhance the health care services VA provides to women Veterans.

“We are taking a proactive approach to enhancing VA health care for women Veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We are seeking the input of

women Veterans so that VA can continue to provide high quality health care to the growing numbers of women Veterans.”

Representatives at VA’s Health Resource Center (HRC) are placing calls to women Veterans nationwide, asking them to share their experiences with VA and suggest potential enhancements that will further VA’s mission to provide the best care anywhere.

Women Veterans are one of the fastest growing segments of the Veteran population.

Of the 22.7 million living Veterans, more than 1.8 million are women. They comprise nearly 8 percent of the total Veteran population and 6 percent of all Veterans who use VA health care services.

VA estimates by 2020 women Veterans will constitute 10 percent of the Veteran population and 9.5 percent of VA patients. The HRC, which started placing calls on June 1, is contacting women Veterans who have enrolled, but have not begun using VA services.

“Through this contact center, we are placing friendly, conversational calls to women Veterans,” said Patricia Hayes, chief consultant of the VA’s Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group. “We want these Veterans and their caregivers to talk candidly about why they are not using VA, whether they are aware of the gender-specific services we offer, and what additional services they would like to see VA offer.”

The HRC representatives making the calls are also informing women Veterans about the services VA offers and quickly connecting them with appropriate departments if they are interested in trying VA health care. Veterans who have complaints about VA are connected to a patient advocate who helps resolve issues.

VA has trained professionals in all aspects of women’s health, including general primary care, osteoporosis management, heart disease, mental health care, menopausal services and obesity-related issues, such as diabetes. Preventive screenings for breast and cervical cancer are also areas in which VA excels. Soon, all VA facilities will offer comprehensive primary care for women from a single provider.

The Women Veterans Health Care program has made significant changes in the last few years to enhance the health care offered to eligible women Veterans. This progress includes:

• Adopting key policies to improve access and enhance services for women Veterans;
• Implementing comprehensive primary care for women Veterans;
• Conducting cutting-edge research on the effects of military service on women’s lives;
• Improving communication and outreach to women Veterans; and
• Providing mental health, homelessness and other services designed to meet the unique needs of women Veterans

For more information about VA programs and services for women Veterans, please visit: www.va.gov/womenvet and www.publichealth.va.gov/womenshealth.

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DAV National ‘Stand Up for Veterans’ Update

Stand Up for Veterans Update

From Joseph A. Violante, DAV National Legislative Director

More Info

April 22, 2010

Historic Veteran Caregiver Legislation Passes House

The House of Representatives gave final approval to S. 1963, the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act, which provides an array of supportive services to family caregivers of disabled veterans, including up to $1.7 billion in caregiver benefits to financially strapped family members caring for the most severely wounded and disabled Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.  The legislation, which was first proposed more than two years ago, and has been strongly backed by DAV and other veterans organizations, now goes to the Senate for their approval.

New Services for Women Veterans, Rural Veterans and Homeless Veterans

S. 1963 also expands and improves health care access and services for the nation's 1.8 million women veterans, veterans living in rural areas, and homeless veterans. Once enacted into law, the legislation will help ensure that women veterans, who have played an increasingly essential role in our military, receive quality, timely and gender-appropriate health care services, and will for the first time allow VA to provide seven days of care to newborn infants of women veterans.

About the Stand Up for Veterans Initiative

Stand Up for Veterans is an initiative of the Disabled American Veterans, an organization of 1.4 million disabled veterans who are focused on building better lives for disabled veterans and their families.  The initiative seeks to find public policy solutions for all veterans, particularly those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, who have incurred devastating injuries and disabilities, including traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological wounds of war.  Please visit www.standup4vets.org to learn more about this effort.      

Stand up for veterans.  They stood up for us.