'It's time to celebrate our unique differences'

The following is a guest submission from the U.S. Army Soldier for Life program.

“Physically, mentally, emotionally—we’re built differently,” said Lt. Col. Paula Smith, Health Director for the U.S. Army’s Soldier for Life program. “Women are one of the fastest growing sub-populations of Veterans. In so many ways, their skills, talents and requirements for wellness differ from those of our male counterparts. It is essential that we address and embrace the uniqueness of women Veterans,” Smith added.

Smith joined representatives from the Department of Labor, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Legion to discuss health, wellness and women Veterans at the American Legion Employment and Empowerment Summit on February 19, 2015.

“Health and wellness are critical pieces to improved quality of life. If you’re healthy, you’re more likely to take advantage of education and employment opportunities,” said Smith.

By 2020, more than 10 percent of the entire Veteran population will be women. “This is a sub-population to be reckoned with—they have skills and the talent that can and should be embraced by the military and by communities,” said Smith. “We need to ensure that we don’t miss this opportunity to invest in better understanding women Veterans.”

Understanding the challenges and meeting the needs of women Veterans is pinnacle. This population of Veterans is less likely to self-disclose their status as their brothers in arms, creating a major challenge to addressing needs such as psychological preparation for transition, employment gaps, physical health and others. This could equate to missed opportunities with military and Veterans service organizations, employment or access to government benefits. It also alters the statistics necessary to change the conversation and the culture about America’s Veterans.

“It’s time to celebrate our unique differences,” Smith said. “Any fix that we make now will become exponentially greater as this population continues to grow,” she added.

The American Legion Employment and Empowerment Summit is a great start.

Soldier for Life is an Army program designed to connect Soldiers, Veterans and their Families with education, employment and health resources and opportunities. Learn more at www.SoldierForLife.army.mil.