March 24, 2011

A deep tradition of supporting women vets

By Laura Edwards
News
A deep tradition of supporting women vets
DoD photo by Cpl. Marionne T. Mangrum, U.S. Marine Corps

The Legion's two-month, worldwide online survey of female veterans is only a small part of the advocacy the organization has done for women veterans.

Results of The American Legion’s two-month, worldwide online survey of women veterans, revealed at the 51st Washington Conference on Tuesday, are the culmination of a massive effort by the Legion to determine why only 25 percent of women veterans are currently using the VA health-care system. But addressing the needs and rights of women veterans is nothing new for the Legion. From the organization’s beginning, it has welcomed female veterans and worked on their behalf. Women veterans have been eligible for Legion membership, with all the attendant privileges and voting rights, since 1919, a year before the 19th Amendment was ratified, giving women the right to vote.

Verna Jones, director of the Legion’s Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Division, said the survey, posted online in January, will help the Legion continue to be a proponent for women who have served.

“In order to strengthen our advocacy role, we needed to conduct a comprehensive survey of women veterans about their experiences and attitudes concerning health care provided by VA, private practitioners and other health-care providers,” Jones said.

The results will be used to improve how the Legion lobbies on behalf of women veterans to VA, Congress and other authorities, continuing a long tradition of such advocacy. Some highlights:

1919: At the very first National Convention, Resolution 4 directed all levels of the Legion to “employ wherever possible, the services of American Legion members in good standing” – “ex-service men and women.”

1948: At the National Convention, Resolution 461 authorized the National Rehabilitation Commission to conduct a national survey “to learn what the women veterans themselves want, for guidance in determining what the policy of The American Legion will be.”

1950: At the National Convention, Resolution 168 requested that VA “set aside adequate facilities in any Veterans Administration hospital for hospitalization of women veterans.”

1971: At the National Convention, responding to concerns that spouses and children of female servicemembers did not have the same rights and resources as those of male servicemembers, Resolution 560 advocated that “the rights, privileges, emoluments and compensations for performing duties be made exactly the same regardless of the sex of the individual performing such services and duties.”

2006: At Spring Meetings, Resolution 25 urged “the completion of a follow-up of VA’s 1985 study” on female veterans “to reflect the collective needs” of the entire community of women veterans, and encouraged VA toward more gender-specific services and outreach, attention to the unique needs of female homeless veterans, adequate funding for Military Sexual Trauma resources, and training on gender-specific health issues as well as on sensitivity.

2010: At the National Convention, Resolution 36 stated the Legion’s intent to “encourage the repeal of the Department of Defense’s policy governing the assignment of women in combat situations.” To that end, at Fall Meetings, Resolution 25 declared the Legion’s support for extending the Selective Service program to young women.

Also at Fall Meetings, Resolution 6 authorized the Legion to “conduct a survey of women veterans for the purpose of identifying women veteran needs and issues in order to enhance The American Legion assistance to women veterans.”

  • News