Bill promotes benefits for women veterans

WASHINGTON — About two thirds of Nevada female veterans do not seek benefits or use services offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs after they finish their military service.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., wants to change that.

Cortez Masto and Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., filed a bipartisan bill Wednesday that would help women who are in transition to civilian life from the armed services learn about the programs available to them through the Veterans Administration.

“Many are unaware of the women-centered benefits and services — including mental health assistance, maternity care, cancer screenings and casework management — that the Veterans Health Administration provides,” Cortez Masto said.

Cortez Masto and Boozman said the need to help female veterans is acute in their respective states.

Cortez Masto said in an interview many are juggling full-time jobs and single parenting. “They don’t even think about it,” she said.

There were roughly 21,000 female veterans in Nevada in 2017, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. According to the state, only 31 percent of the known female veterans reported using or receiving benefits.

Boozman said in Arkansas, he has heard from female veterans that the “access to care and the lack of awareness about the availability of gender-specific care at the VA are barriers of tremendous concern.”

As the number of female veterans continues to increase, Boozman said, “this problem will only compound.”

Similar bipartisan legislation has been filed in the House by Reps. Gilbert Cisneros Jr., D-Calif., Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa.

The Servicewomen’s Health Transition Training Act of 2019 would expand a pilot program to all female veterans in Nevada, beginning Aug. 14.

That program, Women’s Health Transition Training, is a VA initiative to educate women separating from the Air Force and Army at 18 locations, none in Nevada.

Cortez Masto said her bill would “piggyback” and expand the program nationwide to include women leaving all service branches in all states.

All servicewomen stationed in Nevada on Aug. 14 will be available to participate in a live briefing via web cam or speak privately with an instructor.

The bill directs the secretary of defense to work with the secretaries of the military branches to urge women leaving the armed services to participate in the program.

Several women’s veterans groups, including the Women Veterans Advisory Council of Nevada and the Women Veterans of Nevada, have endorsed the bill.

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.