Support for honor service duty Arkansas women veterans is provided by AARP Arkansas.

Service duty, Arkansas women veterans.

And welcome to honor service duty Arkansas women veterans.

I'm Christina Munoz and I will be guiding this exploration of the value and needs of our women veterans.

My first guest today are Gina Chandler, assistant director of veteran services for Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs and Colonel retired Erica Ingram, chief of Staff of Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs.

Thank you both so much for being here today.

Now before we get into the conversation.

Here's a brief look at some of the history of women in the military from the makers of the film lioness.

Wherever transports took our soldiers, they also took the army nurse to work by day, by night, on distant battlefields, to help make shattered bodies whole, to bring smiles to faces twisted with pain.

This is the Army nurse us.

Stay ready to serve anywhere under any circumstances, in time of need.

We never had a law forbidding women from serving in ground combat because back when the original laws about women serving in the military were made, it was beyond anybody's wildest imagination that we would someday think about having women in ground combat.

In 1962, when I was commissioned.

Women in the Marines is a totally different situation.

My wife as she was going through Officer candidate School and the basic school never touched a weapon.

They receive classes and things like makeup and comportment.

And the general view was to free a man to fight.

But nothing that would constitute anything close to combat or combat support or combat service support.

That would be unheard of back in the 60s.

Back in 1967, I served in Vietnam and when I was sent over in that time frame, I went wearing a skirt, a jacket, heels and hose, carrying my purse with no weapons, no weapons qualification in an insurgency.

Environment where I would be a detriment to the command because I wasn't trained to protect myself or to help the command defend itself.

So I've vowed from that point on I will never be sent anywhere without having the proper training of a soldier.

In 1973, when we did not renew draft authority, the military still needed the same amount of people, and the obvious choice was to begin to to take more and more women in.

And from 1972 on, the percentage of women in the military has grown from less than 2% to close to 15% where it is today.

We have finally, over a period of time, come to the conclusion that we've had this tremendous asset, this tremendous force that was available to us that we had neglected for years.

In early 1992, President Bush the elder convened a presidential Commission on the assignment of women in the armed forces.

There were 15 of us, and we were part of this Commission that was tasked to examine the roles of women in the military and make recommendations to President Bush.

It was driven by the performance of women in the Gulf War.

They have served well, honorably, in many ways beyond expectations.

And so the next question is, is there more that they can do and should do?

The ultimate outcome was even led to some changes in the legislation that allowed women to serve aboard ship and to serve in combat aircraft, not in the ground combat element, but the combat support, combat service support.

So it opened up considerably the opportunities for women there.

Are two million women veterans living in the US they make up 10% of the total veteran population and are the fastest growing veteran group.

14% of senior enlisted personnel are female.

So I want to know first from both of you, thank you so much for joining us here today.

And Gina, I'm going to start with you.

So this history of women in the military, what does it mean to these veterans?

And you know, the three of us couldn't help but chuckle a few of the times watching that that film pieces of that.

Film.

What does the history really mean to women veterans?

The history and you know is deep.

It goes back to the Revolutionary War.

We've always played a part in some manner.

And when it comes to, you know, wars, whether it's, you know, taking care of men on the battlefield or finally enlisting and, you know, being pilots, waves and Wasps.

And it's just there's a long history of it, that it's a hidden history and that women.

Don't identify as veterans.

And that's one reason why we're here today is to really talk about, you know, their service and what it means and, you know, bring it out that there are benefits available because of it.

But I myself didn't know.

I was a veteran.

And, and here I am, the assistant director for veteran services.

I had no idea I was a veteran because when I was in the service, I was called into.

I went to the service in 1990 and got out in 1992.

I got out for childbirth because the war was going on and somebody had to stay home and take care of the baby.

So because I didn't fulfill for years, I felt like I wasn't a veteran.

By standards, I am a veteran and I am entitled to benefits.

But there's a lot of us out there like that.

And another, you know, example is my mother.

My mother was in the Air Force.

Well, by the time I came along, I didn't know she had joined the service.

She joined the service and was forced to get out.

And when she got pregnant with my sister.

And so I never knew until I said I was going to join the service.

She says, oh, like me?

And I was like, you were in the service.

So you kind of go back into being that mother role, that sister.

Role that friend role and really don't wear their service proudly on their sleeves like there are male counterparts too.

You are so right and we were talking about for whatever reason many of us have white male when we think of the word veteran associated.

And Eric coming over to you and I get this right you're you were the first black female Colonel in Arkansas Arkansas National Guard Arkansas 215 year history.

I mean that is remarkable.

So I feel honored just to share the desk with you.

So talk.

About that word veteran and why it is hard for women to even associate with that word.

Yeah.

And I think it's harder for women to associate it with because the society doesn't.

Although we know that women have been apart of the wars back until the Revolutionary War, we weren't recognized to 1901 or 04.

And I just think that we played a part.

But it hasn't been highlighted as much as it has been for males.

Still today I have people ask me, oh, is your husband?

Sponsor.

No, I'm the sponsor.

So I think because society doesn't highlight and recognize it, it's easier for us to feel like we're invisible and not recognize our own service.

Well, that has to do with being a combat veteran.

A lot of times you think of a, you think of the male white veteran as a combat veteran.

Well, we just saw the video that shows that women weren't allowed in combat or recognized in combat until 2013.

Absolutely.

And we're going to talk more about this.

As we go.

But now we're going to show you another clip from Lioness, the film.

According to the film Makers, Lioness tells the story of a group of female army support soldiers who were part of the first program in American history to send women into direct ground combat without the same training as their male counterparts, but with a commitment to serve as needed.

These young women fought in some of the bloodiest counterinsurgency battles of the Iraq war and returned home as part of this.

Country's first generation of female combat veterans.

This clip shows the women coming together to watch the History Channel's version of operations they participated in.

Lord, when did you get those done?

Oh, my goodness.

Oh my yeah, yeah, you know.

Because of the baby.

Yeah, how are you?

I like you too.

So how's dad with the baby?

Ohh yeah.

If I have to go to work with her he he's got to carry her.

He's got to be with the babe.

I hate to carry the car seat in the bag.

He's Mr dad with baby Maddie was this big only yesterday.

No, this one's a major now.

Hopefully she outgrows you.

Thank you.

What are you gonna have one?

And had a command.

Ohh.

Hey, what's your?

Yeah.

History channel.

Documentary of it.

It's really minutes, yeah.

It's basically.

Early April when we were on the line.

That's missions with Marines.

We're not mentioned in it at all.

The tide is finally turning for the weary men of two four, it's been a day of grinding combat.

It started with you and I were on that one, weren't we?

I know that's when the Marines were first coming in.

They got hit by an IED and we went after a couple guys that did it.

They had a bunch of cash and stuff on them without mentioning you guys in it.

The guy got hit by an ID and then they found a lot of weapons.

That was the first story that they told.

It's funny because you'll recognize some stuff that's going on in this school and it's a lot of emissions that we went on and we supported.

Yep, that was our mission.

Life and death, combat told for the first time by the men who were there.

House to house blocked by block.

I had about 25 women that I could pull from to support the team Lions missions.

There was every spectrum of physical and emotional capabilities there is, and almost every single one of them at one point participated in a lioness mission.

Some significantly more than others.

It got so certain females were requested for certain missions and and that is more who went out.

Captain Breslow, a captain, so she's senior in rank, very confident, very tactically and technically sound.

If I had to send soldiers to a school, Nava was the person descent.

She was just friendly and outgoing.

She always had a smile on her face.

Rainey was like one of the senior enlisted women that I had in the organization.

And Shannon was just strong and very good with a weapon and just kind of a tough gal.

In that video, it's kind of like they went out of their way to make sure that they didn't mention us because all those events that took place in ones videos if we were there.

Reinforcements make it to trapped Marines.

They outshoot and outlast the.

Wow.

It's interesting to watch your reactions because you kind of knew what was coming, you kind of knew what they were going to say.

So this topic of invisibility with regards to women in the military, Erica, is that something that you've personally felt or experienced?

I think probably most females have and will because it's very seldom that we're the majority at a decision table or information.

And as you saw in the video, people usually reference the males.

Within the combat or the scenario and overlook the contributions of of the female.

Absolutely.

We've already talked about how society plays a role in that.

So Gina, what do you think when it comes to even The History Channel or the producers or whoever it was that it may not even be as intentional as assumed because that's just the world we live in versus trying to do the right thing and really put these women in the limelight where they should get the recognition.

Absolutely.

And part of it is because, you know we if we recognized.

They had women there.

Can society handle women in combat?

You're putting mothers out there.

You're risking their lives.

What does that look like?

And so finally by getting them to, you know, allow women to be noticed in combat, it opens, you know, the doors for benefits that they were first denied because they couldn't get what's called a combat action ribbon or combat.

Yeah, combat action ribbon to even though they were in combat, they couldn't get the same sort of.

Recognition and that the male counterpart did.

So you know, DOD's making steps to recognize that and that opens doors for them to get help and that you know, that they may need suffering from PTSD because they couldn't say, well, I was in combat, it's not verifiable because it's not mentioned.

So it's it's just, it's a, it's a mountain of things.

Wow.

And I so appreciate you mentioning benefits because we're going to talk a lot more about resources and what can be done.

And Erica, what do you think needs to be done in society?

I mean, these are steps that are being taken and that's great.

But what what needs to happen for society to recognize women veterans at the same level of men?

I think we first need to start within and continue to emphasize the importance of the diversity of thought recognition and just a level as a whole.

And I think the more that we internally as the veteran community inside the armed forces that the public and society outside.

Will begin to understand because it is not always intentional, because they don't know what they don't know because they're not behind the curtain always and they're seeing the movies or The History Channel shows and they don't honestly know.

So I think we probably are our best advocate.

The more that we get out into the public and we have these type conversations, I I think we will continually evolve.

Well, I want to commend both of you because I don't feel a lot of anger coming from you and I commend you for that, but.

As far as emotions go, we women are emotional creatures.

How does it make you feel when you think of this thought of invisibility?

More passionate, not angry because I would do it all over again 26 years plus, but more passionate in my purpose to make sure that people truly understand from a first hand account what we actually go through and the difference that we feel.

Because I have friends that are males that don't quite understand it.

But the more I engage them, the more they come to realize.

That there is a difference between us and we're treated differently and we need to work an advocate to change that.

Absolutely.

And same to you.

The feelings behind it, it's it's caused me I've been doing this for 14 years to really just reach out to my fellow sister and say you know, your your service mattered.

You know whether long or short you know whatever you did your service mattered.

And be proud of your service.

Don't hide behind your service.

You know a lot of times men you can tell they were in the service.

Haircut.

They wear it on their you know sleeves.

You can just tell we should be wearing our service as proudly on our on our sleeves and and let people know hey and stand up and say I served.

You know my mom would never stand up when they would ask you know all veterans please stand up because she didn't value her service and so now I make her stand up.

I stand up proudly anytime that you know they ask for veterans and just yeah good for you.

You absolutely should.

And now to talk about some.

Resources first, here is a message from the AARP about what they have to offer veterans.

Hello, I'm Joanne Jenkins, chief executive officer of AARP.

With nearly six million of our 38 million members currently are.

Having previously served in the military, we're in a mission to support veterans and military families who defend our freedom at home and abroad.

That's why we've created free resources.

Schools and community programs to help you meet the unique challenges you face every day to learn more visitaarp.org/veterans.

50% of women veterans used VA benefits in 2017.

To some, that might be considered a successful number.

Others may not think so.

I want to know what you guys think.

Is 50% good or bad?

50% is low and just because a lot of women aren't aware and if you served, look for, you know, reach out and find us because we can connect you with your resources and you know, the VA offers the best.

Care, there's so many reasons why veterans should go to the VA and to receive their care and a lot of it is because of what they were exposed to.

You know, we they collect the data and they can then use that to to determine, you know, if you were in a certain area and you developed this cancer, you know the VA is going to cover that type thing.

So getting into the VA, I mean it's one of the, it's the best in the nation for caring for veterans.

It's come a long ways.

And I and I say that because it's gotten a bad rap in the past and but it is the best service for mammograms for and that you know we're going to have them talk about it but it is the best place to receive healthcare and and a lot of times if your service connected that's free healthcare.

So you know come out, come find us and we can connect you with your resources.

We always say those who fight for our country die for our country deserve resources and benefits more than anybody else in this country so.

Why do you think only about half of the women veterans out there are taking advantage of the benefits and resources?

I think a lot of women feel that since most of the things in the military armed forces is geared towards men, whether it be uniforms, those type things besides some maternity uniforms, that they may not feel that the VA system is going to cater to the needs of women.

But we do have here in Central Arkansas one of the best women VA centers in the country and nation, and I think that it goes back to.

Education and them not realizing all the services that are available.

And as Gina said, VA care gives you a type of care at a level that civilian medical entities does.

Don't because of the fact of the veteran piece and the service, the military service piece, because it is different.

And I think they just don't realize what the VA has to offer for women as a whole.

And you still as a individual have to go seek out the benefits.

They're not going to come find you.

Is that something that you try to do in your role?

Is to help people, help women, go seek out those benefits.

We do.

And as a matter of fact, I was just having a conversation earlier with the VA representative, and I was discussing all the different things that I've learned.

Every year there's a different service that's available that I had no idea they offered.

So every conversation with a veteran, whether it's a male or female, as did you know that the VA provides this.

And while there may be a male veteran, they may know a female veteran that's out in Arkansas in a rural area, and they're just having a conversation.

So it goes back to advocacy and education.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

And same thing over to you.

I mean, what do you think can be done and needs to be said?

Maybe they're watching this, maybe they see it to encourage them to be proud of your service and to seek out these benefits.

They're there for a reason.

Absolutely.

You know, I I can only use myself as an example and I was a single mother and utilized my VA home loan and that's all I thought I was entitled to until I came to work for Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs and realized there are, you know, education benefits.

They'll help you get a job.

There's job placement, you know, there's it's just on and on.

And what I realize is that women veterans will only utilize it when they need it, but they need to be aware of it so they know when to utilize it.

Oh, that's very good because really the, the lending industry has done a good job with VA loans.

A lot of us have heard of that and know about that, but a lot of us don't know about the other things.

And so really when you think about it, so much of it is awareness and getting that message out there.

What is your hope for the future with regard to women in the military?

And the awareness of all that is out there for them.

That at a point that our utilization will be the same as the male population because 50% is definitely too low.

If you've earned the benefit, you need the benefit, use the benefit.

Absolutely.

And what can we as individuals do to kind of help this message and help get that word out there when it really comes is up to the individual to to get to get to get those benefits to find what can we do to help as a society change this image so one don't always assume it's the male that's the veteran you know ask.

The counterpart, the whether it's the spouse or you know the female, did you serve?

That's step #1, the other step.

And we have to do this with our male veterans as well.

It's usually the spouse or the mother or the family member that hey did you know about this?

I got a number you can call and that make that connection.

So family, if you know your loved ones served in the military, male or female, but especially female, you know point them in the right direction to get resources.

Like I said, they don't even.

To begin to know half the resources that are out there and this is one way we can connect them with that.

Well, I personally want to thank both of you for your service as well as your time here today and hopefully inspiring other women veterans out there to to come meet you to come say hi to come be influenced by you because you are great influences for women in the military.

So thank you very much on behalf of all of our state and nation.

Thank you for all you have done and thank you for your service.

Thank you and the next video.

Is another clip from the film Lioness.

This one follows specialist Shannon Morgan as she talks about her mental health journey, one which affects far too many veterans.

Hey, Mama.

Glad to see you.

Our father, we do thank you today.

We know that you care for us, and we thank you for bringing Shannon through the many terrible things that she had to do and saw there in Iraq.

And for your care, for we bless you for your goodness and mercy.

And so we know that you've answered prayer, and we pray, father, that you continue to have your hand upon her.

Other measures Lee for the other members of the family.

She says when she lays down, she sees all the things from the war again.

And so she stays up.

And I've known her to stay up two nights in a row.

And two days and two nights.

What you doing?

More decorations?

Mind if I sit and watch?

Hannah.

Well, what color should I make the?

Make it green.

Wasn't it?

Yeah.

One Bronco, Sam.

Yeah, not me.

I've tried to help her any any way I can, you know.

A lot of times here come over and just sit down there and we might sit there and we might not ever say a word.

I told her it's like Vietnam to me.

You earned this freedom you have now, and you put your life on the line so we can have that freedom.

But one thing about it.

And you're gonna pay for it every day of the rest of your life, like I do.

He wasn't being mean when he said this, but he said nobody will ever understand that the people who die in combat are actually the lucky ones, and I don't know why he said that.

Until like the other day, I kind of realized that they don't have to remember or try to forget and stuff like that.

There's been times when she was talking about suicide, you know, when she first came home and.

She'd be sitting out here in the yard someplace late at night and we'd worry about her.

We'd get up in the middle of the night and come out and check on her and see if she's still alright.

It's been hard.

Think she'll be all right in time?

She takes her medication and goes and sees her counselors and things like she's supposed to do that and she'll be all right.

She's strong, girl.

When my uncle told me that he really wished.

He would have gotten help right after Vietnam.

He's seen the same things in me that it took him over 30 years to deal with.

I took his advice and went to the Little Rock, VA.

I realized that it was OK to have problems and and it's OK to talk about it.

She wanted to go on and get some more nurses training, but the VA doctors don't want her to go to school.

They think it'd be too much pressure on her right now and they told her that they didn't.

It's probably hard for it to concentrate on her school work right now.

They want to wait awhile till she gets over this a little better.

But she is getting over it.

Women veterans as you see, there are two times more likely to die by suicide.

In 2019, forty 3% of women VA users had mental health diagnosis.

That's compared to 26% of men.

Why is there such a large gap?

What are they dealing with and what resources do they have?

My guests now are Doctor Estella Morris of the Comprehensive Homeless Center in the central.

Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and Don W Rosado of the Women Veterans Program in the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare system.

First I want to say thank you so much for both of you joining us here today.

Appreciate your time.

Let's talk about that gap in numbers, 43% of women versus 26% of men.

And Doctor Morris, I'm going to start with you talk a little bit about why that discrepancy there with men and women who have served.

I think the stressors are greater.

Among women veterans.

They come from a situation where primarily they are sheltered in many ways.

They are seen as individuals who have to be taken care of, and all of a sudden they're in a situation where they have to step up and do those same types of things that men have to do when they remove themselves from that situation.

And and seeing themselves as nurturers, all of a sudden they have.

Space, those factors that they saw during the time they were in war and having to come back and go back into a situation where they are again considered nurturers.

So you're moving from 1.

There's a major dichotomy there.

They're moving from a situation where they had to be out doing the same types of things that men were doing and coming back into a situation where roles are much more distinctly defined in terms of what they ought to be doing.

So a lot of times it's difficult to make that adjustment.

That there are also other stressors that they experienced during the time they're in, like military sexual trauma that is often much more prevalent.

Among women veterans than what you would see, although you see it among male veterans as well, it's typically much more prevalent among female veterans.

So you have those types of things.

And many times when they come back into civilian life and they have to deal with things like domestic violence on top of the things that they experienced during the time that they were in the military, then that just compounds the types of stressors that they're dealing with and those things that are likely to contribute to suicidal ideations.

And actually completed suicide.

My goodness, absolutely correct.

And so, Don, what kind of issues, mental health issues do you see with women in the military and how are they different from the struggles that men are going through?

Well, if you think about society as a whole.

When you think about women, what's the definition of women?

And what are definition of the roles?

And when they are off in the military and they are in combat and they come back, the expectation is different.

How are men greeted?

How do they reintegrate back into their family?

And the women who I've worked with that who expressed the difficulty in reintegrating.

So, for example, if you're in a group and a man says.

I'm not connecting with my child.

I don't like my child.

If a woman says I'm not connecting with my child, I don't like my child.

What is your first initial reaction?

Do you use them differently?

Because we view those roles of our women differently.

As Doctor Morris said, they're the nurturers, they're the caretakers.

They're expected to step right back into those roles when they come back.

They guilt is even worse for the women and for the woman who had to deploy to combat, who left her breastfeeding child, the guilt of not being able to be present and continue to breastfeed her child well.

And Mom guilt is real thing for all of us, so I can only imagine what it's like for members of the military.

So we're going to talk more about this throughout this segment.

But in the next clip, therapist Abigail Johnson gives some insight into the mental health issues of women veterans and offers some therapeutic tools.

I have worked in the field of psychiatry for the last 12 years.

In the last like five years, I've owned my own medical practice, Johnson Behavioral Health Group, and where I actually specialize with children and with PTSD with all ages.

And that's became a large passion of mine through the years and everybody can.

Experience PTSD, right?

So I have became very passionate in in being able to say, hey guys, look, there's care available, there's hope and you don't have to live this way forever.

In our military population, our veterans, especially females, are experiencing a lot of trauma, whether that's the things that they see and witness whether in combat in overseas or if it's just overall military sexual trauma.

You know, 10% of our female veteran populations are experiencing PTSD.

You know, there's lots of different comorbidities that they're facing, but PTSD is the number one comorbidity that our female veteran population is experiencing.

Unfortunately, our veteran population does experience stigmas and things that can prevent them from seeking help, whether it's the overall culture of the military where you have to be tough and strong and you know only the weak get help, you know, and then you have that.

And so there's a big barrier mentally to have to overcome when it relates to that if our veteran population.

Puts off getting help what?

A lot of times what happens is they live in this hyper arousal state where they're triggered all the time and it leads to a lot of anxiety or panic attacks or just overall depression and it's just a spiral.

A lot of times one symptom leads to 4-5 and six and it can completely changes their overall quality of life.

When you're ready, start to walk your hands back underneath your shoulder.

The society we live in today, we everybody's experiencing stress in some way shape when we're fashion, you know, to even piggyback off of like.

Trauma and PTSD, just overall anxiety and everything, equine therapy is huge.

It is beneficial, it helps the brain.

Just getting outside helps the brain, the sunlight and just the animals and everything.

So it helps release endorphins in the brain, help you feel better.

Goat yoga is so much fun and when we actually decided to do goat yoga, it was just an amazing, you know, kind of idea because goats are fun and when you're in the middle of doing the different poses, whether it's.

Downward dog or whatever the goats come and pose with you.

It is just the funnest thing ever.

And we're going to have so much fun today just having a relaxing atmosphere, but yet smile and have fun and get those endorphins moving.

And if I could tell a female veteran one thing, I want you to know that there is help out here.

That you do not have to live in this heightened state of constantly living in these nightmares and re experiencing all of these situations that have traumatized you over and over and over again.

I'm hear me out there.

Just help and you can move past it and all it takes is you reaching out and we're here for you.

I think we all need some goat yoga in our lives.

That sounds fantastic.

So Don, I want to start with you.

This is a little bit more comfortable to talk about cause we're talking about offering hope and offering help.

What kind of resources are out there with regard to mental health for women veterans?

We have so many resources and kind of what you discussed before.

So many of our women are not aware of this resources that are available to them.

We have mental healthcare professionals who are trained in the evidence based treatment protocols a specific for trauma and we have a different like domiciliary units for the homeless and substance use disorders and the PTSD military sexual trauma.

We have behavioral health integrated within the primary care clinics to also assist in real time warm handoffs, same day access the cross.

This line and the suicide prevention team are phenomenal.

All the staff within the VA receive continuing education and maintaining education and suicide prevention and assessment and routing and guiding our veterans through the right course of treatment and to get them connected with the people.

Who can provide them with the best service?

Absolutely.

And Doctor Morris, what needs to be done?

What can we do as a society, as family members, as friends, to help encourage women to get the help they need?

In that video clip, it was her uncle that finally sang something, encouraged her to go get that help that she needed.

What can we all do?

One thing that currently angerman.

Um.

Gina spoke about earlier, was just reaching out helping women to understand.

I work with the VA I have been a federal employee for four to five years now, but for many years.

I didn't.

Really deal with the fact that I was a veteran and so I did not take advantage of a lot of the services that were available and oftentimes.

When it would come to me that.

We want to recognize I I remember one time specifically when some of the staff wanted to recognize my military service during.

A veteran's day activity and it was all that I could do to accept the compliment because my focus was on, well, I didn't really do that much.

You know, I was you know, 10 year reservist, although there was a disabled veteran, it was still hard for me to accept that and and it's still one of those things where.

It's difficult for us to see ourselves in that manner and and you make so many changes.

It's it's a dichotomous world.

I can remember during the time when I was functioning as as a squad leader, for instance, and had to be told that I had to change my voice.

So you've been taught to speak softly, you know, as a female, and then all of a sudden you have to call cadence, so you have to to lead the squad.

So the word is, you know it's time to let go.

Of that softness and you have to, you know, speak in a commanding tone.

So all of a sudden you you go from being this soft spoken female to to being one who is commanding a whole troop of male and female veterans as soldiers.

As it were at the time.

So it it does take some changes to the mindset, but it's going to require outreach just as we do with our homeless veterans to just let women know that we do have services.

Yes, you are a veteran, yes, you are able to come in and use services that are available at the VA.

So it's outreach is just important in all areas of the the services that we have to provide through the VA.

Absolutely, and both of you actually touched on our next topic.

It's another difficult subject to discuss.

It is homelessness, and the next video highlights the organization's Saint Francis House.

The Saint Francis House had been serving in the community since 1970.

OK, well, great.

Well, we would love to help you.

We love serving veterans.

We partnered with the VA in 1988 through a federal grant to start serving homeless veterans within the state of Arkansas.

We're a transitional housing facility, so they come here and they can stay within our program anywhere between 30 and 90 days.

And of course we provide three meals a day, you know, room and board for them and our goal in conjunction and collaboration with the VA. Is to get the veterans back up on their feet.

To where they have sustainable income and to find them a permanent place to live program wise, when they come into the programs at Saint Francis House, it's pretty much all the same for everybody, but we try to take extra special care of our female veterans to make sure they're in a safe place.

Given the conditions that are in the world today, they're are.

Their safety is #1 priority for us, so we try to find them a comfortable place to live in.

An established neighborhood that maybe has a lot of resources close by that they can access without having to travel far distances if you're a female veteran.

And you are homeless and we're looking for resources to get back up on your feet.

We can help.

So their first step would be to contact their local VA office and one of the caseworkers there will meet with you and they will assess your situation and they will take your information that you have and start the process.

And so and then also that veteran, that female veteran can be referred to us here at Saint Francis House while they transition.

You know, homelessness into permanent housing, you know, because we want them to succeed and all of the vets that come in here want to succeed, but they want to know that they have someone in their corner.

That has their back, and we do.

Women veterans experiencing homelessness in Arkansas increased from 2% of all homeless veterans in 1987 to 9 to 10% in 2021.

So Doctor Morris, I'm going to turn to you first.

What has caused this increase or at least attributed to it?

Well, part of that when you think about the VA, you have to think of everything from a historical perspective and part of that is embedded in the fact that current income talked about, a retired calling Ingram talked about.

And the fact that with.

President George HW Bush, you had some changes in terms of women entering the military.

We also have to think in terms of the fact that we went to all volunteer force following that.

At that time you saw.

Large numbers of female veterans were females who were entering the military and subsequently who have become veterans.

Within that group, some of those end up needing our services become homeless.

As Mr Chastain said, we've worked with Saint Francis House since 1988, when we first started, because the numbers of females who were entering the military was much lower than we had that lower percentage.

But now that the numbers are much larger, one of the things that occurred during that time is that resources for education and things of that nature.

Also shifted so that they were in the military.

So many of the women who joined the military joined because of the education benefits.

So that was another factor that contributed to the increased numbers of females who were coming out of the military.

There were just many things that happened in terms of societal changes that contributed to that shift.

So we we have continuously seen that number grow.

But that's based on the increased numbers that are joined in the military compared to what it used to be 30 years ago, 40 years ago.

And I know this is all multifaceted, but Don, when you think about homelessness with regard to women in the military, there's a stigma with homelessness regarding drugs and alcohol and so much blame that gets put on those issues.

Is it the same with veteran women veterans?

Is it different?

Is it a combination?

What do you see with regard to homelessness?

Well, with women veterans, you know, first when we were experiencing or or working with women who were homeless, it took them a little longer to become homeless because they couch surfed, you know, or, you know, they had children.

So when they had children, the family was willing to put up with a little bit more than if they didn't have children, correct.

And so as time.

Has evolved, as Doctor Morris said, they have increased.

Is their substance use?

Yes.

Is there mental health?

Yes.

But are there other conditions?

Could it be TBI, you know, could it be employment issues and trying to raise children as a single parent and all that goes with that?

It's multifaceted.

It's not so simple.

And so when it comes to resources, if somebody comes to you.

How do you assess, how do you begin, where do you start?

Because there may be so many different issues?

Well, we complete a really detailed psychosocial assessment and we get into their business.

You know, we we ask them all sorts of personal questions and we're looking at the whole list if we're looking at all the systems that are connected with this pattern and digging out what their needs are.

And many times they don't even realize that there's resources available to help them with those current needs.

I mean, that's exactly one of the things I'm curious to know.

What are you seeing right now?

We've gone through a pandemic.

There's all these different things that all of us are dealing with, but especially if there's already underlying mental health issues, PTSD.

What are you seeing with specific regards to women veterans in Arkansas?

In terms of those who are homeless or yes, yes.

Well, as I said before, our primary modality for identification and treatment of veterans with them.

Who experience in homelessness is that we do extensive outreach.

We cover 46 counties within our catchment area, but we also are part of the Interagency Council on Homelessness, which started in 88 just a year after McKinney was signed.

In it.

Well, it was part of McKinney that was signed in 87 and the homeless initiative for veterans has started in January of 87 as well.

So.

We go out and we do St outreach.

We do shelter outreach.

We cover the 46 counties that I spoke of, but we also cover an additional 18 counties that are part of that interagency network because as part of the Interagency Council, the 19 federal agencies were required to work together to help address homelessness among veterans.

So that's a major focus right now is ending veteran homelessness, and there's no way that.

VA can do that alone.

It requires those different agencies working together.

Hood, which is that was the first partnership between two cabinet level departments.

With that partnership, HUD provides Section 8 vouchers, for instance, and the VA provides case management services.

So we are able to do outreach to those individuals, get them in for services, whether it's through the women's clinic or it's through general mental health service.

Providers were able to provide whatever treatment needs they have.

We were able to address those treatment needs, physical, mental health, substance use, whatever need they might have.

Then we are able to assist them with trying to get housing.

Of course, affordable housing is still a major concern, but we do work closely with these individuals to help them get into permanent housing, the Secretary McDonough.

Just declared as part of his.

Go for a calendar year 222022 that we would house 38,000 veterans and we are really working to achieve that.

Here in Arkansas.

We've already exceeded the goal.

We are already at 110% and we are working to assist the rest of the VA system with meeting that goal.

Well, clearly it is within reach.

It's going on, which is out.

Incredible.

And that outreach is so important so that you can reach the people that need these services.

So now we have another message from the AARP, Arkansas about a new free service that they offer.

AARP has a long history of supporting those who have served in the United States Armed Forces.

A 2021 survey by the VA Center for Women Veterans found women veterans aged 50 plus are the least likely group to use their earned benefits.

That's why AARP created the veterans and Military Families Health Benefits Navigator 2.0 to compile valuable information and resources to help veterans, military families and their caregivers navigate health benefit options.

The Navigator focuses on benefits provided through the VA.

In the Department of Defense on accessing specialty care programs and services for women's mental and emotional health, dental, oral hearing and vision benefits, and family caregiver assistance.

Such great resources out there.

But usually you have to go ask for the resources.

And as a woman, I know that we said we tend to be one of the last people that asks for help regarding anything.

And so I assume that's part of the issue and you could have mental health issues on top of it.

But share a little bit about why it's just hard for us women to step up and ask for help.

Ohh, once again, we're going back to society and our roles.

It takes education.

It it takes the communication with the group to.

Encourage all everyone to seek that help, to ask for it and that it is OK you know, you don't have to carry all this on your shoulders.

It is OK and it's not a sign of weakness.

I can't tell you how many times veterans will tell me I need.

It needs to go for those who are deserving.

You are.

Just as was said before, you are deserving.

We always think there's other people that are more deserving than us.

You have sacrificed.

You have given to your country and you are deserving.

Come and get it.

Absolutely and very well said.

And I want to give some hope here.

What kind of success stories have you seen from women veterans that may be really struggling that are now doing great?

Ohh man, I love my women veterans.

I tell you're passionate about it.

They are wonderful.

I mean some of our events and and meeting one-on-one you know with our our women veterans and seeing how what other overcoming and being successful in getting their degrees and and getting jobs to where they can support themselves and their families and that achievement and that excitement and and you know with the maternity care and and our baby showers and and and seeing them together and supporting each other.

And talking about the differences and being pregnant and being a veteran and some of the things they've faced with motherhood and that excitement and having that support around them, it's just exciting.

I love to see your smile and get so excited because you can tell it has impacted you and your heart.

So thank you for sharing and same over to you with regard to the positives and the good stories that when these women take advantage of the benefits that are out there, how have you seen them being helped, I think the fact that.

They are coming in now is being reflected in the changes in the way that VA is providing healthcare.

Initially you did see services that were primarily available for meals.

Now it's totally different when you talk about having a maternity care, talk about the things that are being done as part of the women's Clinic, the fact that they have specialty doctors there now that deal specifically with women's issues, the fact that at this point they're getting ready to launch a brand new facility at sometime in the near future.

We hope but.

There was a time when you could not go to the VA and think about getting mammograms, think about getting maternity care, getting, you know, those things that are female specific, they were just not available.

So it's a dude, it's a new time, it's a different time as the numbers have grown and the need is there.

Here at Central Arkansas, I know we are rising to meet that need.

We're seeing the same thing with our.

Female veteran, so experience in homelessness.

We work closely with the Women's clinic and make sure that they are aware of those service needs.

We as a matter of fact, we're closely with AARP.

I meet with them on a monthly basis.

We also have what's called a challenge meeting that we hold on a quarterly basis just to learn about services that are available in the Community and to make the Community aware of services that we have at the VA. For both male and female veterans, and we try, we try to engage in any of those areas where there are specialty services for women veterans or for veterans in general.

But specifically if there's anything new that comes up to deal with any of our specialty populations, we try to highlight that and have them do presentations periodically to our to our staff.

Wonderful.

Well, we want to say thank you.

And of course, we hope this is only the beginning.

It's getting better.

We hope this is only the beginning and more and more women veterans will be taking advantage of these benefits that we have out there.

And I want to personally thank you both for your service and for your time and all you have done for women in the military.

Thank you very much for sharing your time with us tonight, too, as well.

Thank you.

It's been my pleasure.

We appreciate it very much.

And thank you to all the guests today and to everyone who shared stories and resources and to the women who have served or are still serving.

In this country, we thank you and thank you for watching.

Hope you have a good night.

Support for honor service duty Arkansas women veterans is provided by AARP Arkansas.